Books and Cleverness
by erbkaiser
Summary: Harry is a young wizard in Ravenclaw, who with his best friend at his side is trying to have a normal school year. But Hogwarts is anything but a normal school, and just who is this Boy-Who-Lived anyway? AU, not a Wrong Boy-Who-Lived story!
1. Nine and three-quarters

Disclaimer: not mine, or books 6 and 7 would be substantially different. Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling and whoever she licensed the rights to.

**Chapter One**  
**Nine and three-quarters**

Harry was looking at the retreating figure of his caretaker, as the man drove off leaving the young wizard standing near the wall between platform nine and a platform ten, with platform nine and three-quarters was nowhere in sight. Was it all a big joke? Was he just dropped off in the middle of King's Cross station for a prank?

For a moment he wondered if the stone wall between the two platforms held the secret, but he did not see any brick that looked special like the one that was used to enter Diagon Alley from the weird bar the previous month, and he was reluctant to take out his wand in any case as his school books had mentioned that it was strictly forbidden for wizards to use their magic in front of Muggles.

Just as Harry was trying to work up the courage to ask a guard where he could find either platform nine and three-quarters or at least the train to Hogwarts, he overheard a plump red-haired woman speaking to her children.

'I don't know why Dumbledore insisted we not use the floo this year. Look at this place, crowded and filled with Muggles of course –'

Harry quickly turned his trolley in their direction and scrolled after them, overhearing the woman playfully ask the only girl in the group if she remembered the platform number. He watched from a small distance to the side as the group neared the brick wall between platforms nine and ten, and then to his surprise the oldest boy just marched straight through the wall as if it was not even there. He waited until the two younger boys – twins from the look of them – also went through, as did the youngest boy, and then the woman with the young girl.

Seeing that nobody was paying much attention to him, Harry pushed his own trolley towards the barrier, closed his eyes, pushed on... and found himself in the middle of a large crowd of families all dressed in the same weird fashions he had seen in the alley. A quick glance at a clock told him it was nearing eleven, so Harry manoeuvred through the crowd towards an empty compartment car near the front of the train.

Placing first his owl cage holding Hedwig, then his trunk up the train steps, he was relieved when he finally had the heavy trunk inside with him and tucked away in a corner of the compartment. He took a seat near a window, and watched the bustle on the platform.

'Did you see how few firsties there are this year?' Harry overheard one of the older children – students – still on the platform say to another. Both students had a shiny silver badge on their chest with a letter P on it.

'I know, I didn't count more than forty if even that,' was the reply.

Any further discussion was halted as the train whistle blew, and the two quickly looked around the platform, then hopped on the train. Harry picked out one of his school books, and began reading.

A few minutes later the door to his compartment slid open, and a girl already wearing her Hogwarts robes looked in.

'Oh hello there, you seem to have a lot of space. Do you mind if I sit here? Most other compartments are full, and I was so excited about the whole experience that I just picked a compartment at random. Then these two older students had the absolute nerve to come in and tell me that I was sitting in _their_ compartment, when it was clear that there are no reservations anywhere on the train! Oh I see you are reading _A History of Magic_, don't you think it's absolutely fascinating?'

She had a bossy voice, and somehow managed to rattle all that off so fast Harry could hardly keep up. Before Harry could do more than take in her look (lots of bushy brown hair, oversized front teeth, and a determined look in her eyes), she spoke up again.

'Oh but where are my manners. I am Hermione Granger, and I am the first witch in my family. My parents were ever so proud. Didn't you read your books before getting on the train? You really should have, your education is very important you know'.

'I'm Harry. And yes I did read my books before, I was just going over the basics again as I want to be prepared for my first day of classes,' Harry replied tersely.  
'Take any seat that's free.'

He looked to the girl again, and with an internalized sigh stood up.  
'Let me help you with your trunk.'

He helped the girl place her trunk in the compartment and then went back to his book. The girl – Hermione – either realised she was annoying him or just did not care all that much, and opened her own book, _Hogwarts: A History_.

If Harry was hoping for an otherwise quiet train ride, this was spoiled when the girl suddenly spoke up again.

'Do you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around and am hoping for Gryffindor, it sounds like the best. I bet Dumbledore himself was sorted there and –'

'Dumbledore was a Ravenclaw,' Harry interjected, without looking up.

'What? Where did you read that?' the girl stared at him with wide open eyes.

In response, Harry just tapped his book.  
'Chapter twenty-seven on _The Great Wizarding War_, where it briefly mentions that Grindlewald's conqueror came from the Ravenclaw house at Hogwarts. As Dumbledore is the only one credited with ending Grindlewald's reign of terror, logic dictates it must be him.'

'Oh...' Hermione pulled out her own copy from her trunk, and paged to the same section.  
'Well you are right. I am trying for Ravenclaw then, if Dumbledore came from that house it must be the best one. Is that the same house you are trying for? And you know, you never did tell me your full name,' she looked accusingly at him.

'Harold Black, at your service,' Harry replied with a mock bow. 'Now do you mind? I am trying to finish this chapter.'

The young witch huffed, and went back to her own reading.

* * *

A/N: As I hope you realize, this is an AU and while it follows canon mostly at the start, things will diverge more and more over time.

I've first written this silly fanfic all the way back in 2009 but never published it as I was not very happy with it, especially after I found a few much better written stories on this site with much the same premise. But I was convinced to upload it anyway, so I am currently in the process of re-editing the existing chapters and trying to improve the story as I do. Chapters will be posted as I complete them.

Please bear with me as I stumble through the English language, British culture (both Muggle and Wizarding), and this site's obscure formatting rules.

A/N 2: Format edited 17-06. I've been told I need to use more blank lines to make it easier to read :)  
**I could really use a beta reader**. Please let me know if you'd like to help me get my formatting and grammer better.


	2. Encounters on a train

Disclaimer: I don't own nor claim the rights to the Harry Potter franchise.

* * *

**Chapter Two**  
**Encounters on a train**

The two children were reading, paying little attention to the countryside flying past the window. The train had long since left London and the densely populated parts of England, and was now passing through wilder fields with woods, the occasional river, and green hills.

They had been left alone, with the only interruption being a lady with a food cart coming by. Both had brought a lunch from home, so they didn't order anything. An indeterminate period of time later the door slid open again, and a tearful looking boy looked in.

'Sorry, have you seen a toad perhaps?' he asked miserably.

The two bookworms shook their heads, and the boy cried a bit.

'I can't believe I lost him again! Trevor is always going off somewhere!'

Hermione placed a bookmark in her book, and stood up.

'Come along Harry,' she said while shooting a look at her companion. 'We'll help him find his toad.'

Harry thought, not for the first time this morning, that the girl was rather annoying, but he had re-read most of the book by now and didn't want to start a fight or come across as unhelpful.

'Okay, let's go then.' He placed his book next to his seat and stood up.  
'I'm Harry, she's Hermione. Where did you last see your toad – Trevor was it?'

'We-well, in the corridor, I think,' the round-faced boy stammered.  
'Oh and I'm Neville Longbottom. Thanks ever so much for helping me!'

The three left the compartment, and knocked on the door to the next one. It was opened by an older teen with a heart-shaped face, and electric blue, spiky hair. She was wearing her uniform with a yellow-black tie.

'Wotcher kids, you lost?'

'Neville here has lost his toad, have you seen it?' replied Hermione, as Neville looked like he'd rather sink through the floor and Harry was happy to let the girl take the lead.

The pretty young woman eagerly drew her wand.

'What's its name kid? I know just the spell for this!'

'Tr-Trevor, ma'am,' Neville splurted out.

'Ma'am?' the witch's face – literally – crumpled, turning her into an old crone for a second before snapping back.  
'Call me Tonks kid. Okay, let's see,' she laid her wand flat on her palm, '_Point Me_ Trevor the toad!'

The wand lit up in a green flash, quickly spun around pointing further down the train, and a blue ethereal line shot off.

'What is that spell? I haven't seen it in my books,' was Hermione's reaction.

Harry and Neville were looking after the blue line, which already began fading out near where they were standing.

'A neat trick, the _Four-Point_ spell. Don't think it's in any of your books kids. If I were you I'd follow that line before it fades out, it'll lead you right to your toad,' she informed the trio with a smile.

The two boys and their female "leader" ran off as Hermione called back a 'thank you'.

The blue line went past a few more compartments and ended up passing through the door of the loo. The ever determined Hermione stepped inside, and bent down to pick up a reluctant toad from behind the toilet.

'One toad, dear sir,' she handed it off to Neville with a giggle. Harry thought she sounded cute.

'Trevor! Oh thank you, thank you!'

The round-faced boy happily took back his amphibian pet. The trio said goodbye, and as Neville went back to his own compartment the bookworms went back to theirs, only to find three boys going through Harry's trunk.

'What's the big idea here you bastards!'

Harry exclaimed, Hermione looking at the sight with an open mouth. As the three boys turned around Harry let out a groan.  
'Great, my _cousin_ and his boyfriends.'

The shortest of the three was a pale, delicate looking boy with slicked-back platinum blond hair. His companions resembled a brick wall and a stone pillar respectively, and looked like they had the intelligence to match. They also towered over the others by at least a full head.

'Don't get upset blood traitor, I was just making sure you weren't embarrassing the family name any _further_,' at that he shot an unpleasant look at Hermione who was now looking at the others with an uncertain face,  
'Not that your choice in companionship has improved much I see. My father has requested of me to show you the ropes though. So dump the little _Mudblood_ and come with us, we'll get you settled.' He straightened his robes and clearly looked expectantly at Harry.

'And I suppose you know all about respect eh Drakey? Get out of here and don't use that filthy word again. You can tell _daddy dearest_ that as long as Drakey Wakey doesn't know not to insult friends of the House of Black he can forget about reconciliation.'

Harry took a step forward, right into the blond's personal space.

'It's _Draco_ you nitwit!' the blond snarled, taking a step back and regaining his composture.  
'Crabbe, Goyle, show the blood traitor what we do to people who insult us.'

The two gorillas seemed to wake up from their daydreaming (or drooling), and the left one menacingly raised his fists. Just as he was pulling back a swing, and Harry was preparing to dodge, a loud 'bang' sounded.

They turned around to see Tonks standing there with her wand in hand, Hermione peeking from behind the door. Apparently the young witch had run off to get help as she saw that Draco was preparing to cause trouble.

'Everything all right there Harry?' she asked, not taking her eyes off the unpleasant invaders.

'Yes Tonks, thanks for checking,' Harry replied. His heartbeat was slowly dropping back down to normal.  
'My dear cousin and his... _friends_... were just leaving.'

Grumbling (Crabbe and Goyle) and shooting a look of hatred (Draco), the three invaders left the compartment. Hermione and Tonks stepped inside, just as Harry visibly deflated, dropping down on the couch and putting his head on his hands. He was prepared to fight off the three and his adrenaline had been running high.

'_Honestly_ Harry, don't you know better than to pick a fight? You could have been _expelled_ for fighting before your first day of class!' Hermione started nagging. She had just seen Harry verbally assault the three other boys, and now he was almost fighting?

'Let off honey,' Tonks replied.  
'I know Draco Malfoy and his family, and they're a real unpleasant lot. Don't blame Harry here for standing up for himself.'

'Thanks Tonks,' Harry shot her a grateful smile.  
'He's such a git.' With that Tonks left again.

'You've met Malfoy before?' Hermione sat back down, after making sure the door was closed properly. She was still a bit rattled by the (to her mind) unnecessary violence that almost occurred, but it seemed to be over now.

'Unfortunately. His mother is my father's cousin, so we're second cousins or something. His dad is a real git as well, but Narcissa, his mother, is pretty much okay. She's basically the only family member my dad still speaks to so I've been forced to _entertain_ Drakey Wakey a few times since we got back to England.'

'You and your father were somewhere else then recently?'

'Yeah, my dad took me to Gibraltar shortly after I was born. I mostly grew up there with him. Dad is probably back there now, he really doesn't like this country.'

'Why are you at Hogwarts then, and not one of the other schools?'

'Eh,' Harry stalled, 'several reasons. The alternative would have been either the _Academia del Mago_ in Cordoba, or _Beauxbatons_ in France. I don't speak a word of French so that one is out, and apparently I was enrolled at Hogwarts before I was even born, and it's supposed to be the best European school anyway. Dad really wants me to get the best education.'

'What does your father do? And your mother? My parents are both dentists, really good ones too,' Hermione brightly smiled.  
She was actually having a conversation with a boy! Okay the boy had been a little stand-offish at first and she really didn't approve of fighting, but so far things had been going much better than she had hoped.

'Dad is... That is he...' Harry trailed off, a slightly confused look on his face.  
'Dad is rich,' he settled on.  
'Don't know about my mum. Dad never told me and he gets really sad when I ask, so I don't any more. It's great living with him though, he's really supportive. Even if he did never allow me to use magic.'

'Oh you grew up with magic? That is such an advantage, you must know a million spells. Can you show me some?'

'Sorry Hermione, I can't.' Harry didn't like having to disappoint her, but he had no alternative.  
'I never knew dad was magical for a long time, and even after I found out he seldom used it. I couldn't be near too much magic when my dad took us to Gibraltar, and he was very reluctant to allow me near any spells until I was eight or so.'

'I've never heard of magical diseases,' Hermione replied, her eyes taking off a far away look as she was mentally going through everything she had read on the subject.

The young black-haired wizard shrugged. 'Wasn't a disease, but a curse of sorts.'

He lifted up the fringe of his hair, to reveal a small, almost faded tiny cut on his forehead.

'See this scar? It used to be much bigger, S-shaped and flaming red. I have some old pictures of that. I was hit by a dark curse when I was really young, and dad had taken me to a Muggle hospital to have the entire area replaced by plastic surgery.'

Hermione felt something tingle in the back of her mind. Hadn't she read about a boy with a curse on his forehead in one of her books before?

'It's hardly noticeable Harry. I'm really glad you had it taken care of,' she flashed a smile at Harry.

Relieved, Harry picked up another book, and after a little more thinking Hermione did the same. She just couldn't think of what Harry's story reminded her of.

Somewhat later the train was passing through mountains, and it was getting dark outside. Harry finally decided to change into his uniform, so Hermione briefly stepped out into the corridor. While waiting she looked in on Tonks' compartment, and saw the teen was joking with her friends.  
Friends? That reminded her. Harry opened the door and she stepped back in.

'Harry, you mentioned _friends of the House of Black_ back when Malfoy was in here... did you mean that?' she looked at him with hopeful eyes.

'Hunh?' the young wizard looked at her. She was kind of cute, when she was not lecturing or nagging. 'Of course, we're friends, right, Hermione?'

'Oh Harry!' the young witch shot forward as if propelled, and hugged him.

_'What did I get myself into?'_ was his last thought even as the train conductor announced that they would reach Hogwarts within minutes.

* * *

A/N: thanks for the response everyone! I really wasn't expecting so many follows, favourites, and even reviews for such a short first chapter.  
I couldn't resist using Tonks as the older teen here. I know in canon she probably left Hogwarts in 1991 so this would be her eight year, but using Tonksy avoids me having to use an OC. Plus she's a lot of fun to write.  
A little more info on the backstory here, you can see this AU diverges pretty quickly from canon. Who Harry's dad is should be obvious by now, if not – just wait another chapter or two. Once I get past the sorting I'll fill in the world some more.  
Sorry for not making it to the sorting, I thought this was a nice place to end it. Next chapter should be the Hat.

A/N 2: Format edited 17-06. I've been told I need to use more blank lines to make it easier to read :)

A/N 3: Minor edits 03-08.


	3. Arriving at Hogwarts

Disclaimer: Did the hero get the girl? Or did he end up with the rabid fan girl instead? In that case I don't appear to own the rights to the Harry Potter franchise.

**Chapter Three**

**Arriving at Hogwarts**

Harry and Hermione were both blushing slightly, as they straightened their robes and stepped out into the corridor, joining the bustling crowd of students assembling near the doors. Harry had internally debated taking his trunk and Hedwig with him, but the announcement had clearly mentioned they had to leave their luggage behind, and as no other students appeared to be taking their pets, apparently these counted as luggage as well.  
The train slowed down, and finally stopped at a small station labelled 'Hogsmeade'. As Harry disembarked, helping Hermione down the steps by offering her his hand, he noticed in the distance a village was just visible through the trees. The night air was cold, and the two were wondering if they ought to follow the older students who had begun walking towards one end of the platform, when a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, held by an enormous man.

'Firs'-years! Firs' years follow me!'

The man holding the lamp was not just nearly twice as large as a normal man, but also at least five times as wide. He had a black wild beard, and looked to be all muscle. The result could easily have been scary, but the friendly look in his eyes and wide smile counteracted that, giving instead the impression he could be your best friend.

'That really all of ye?' the giant said, looking over the nearly forty kids.  
'Mind yer step, now! All Firs' years follow me. I'm tha Keeper of Keys and Grounds here at Hogwarts, call me Hagrid,' the giant was telling the crowd of children as he lead them down the other exit than most of the older students had left at, down a steep and narrow path that lead away from the village towards a black depressed area that Harry assumed to be a body of water – a loch he reminded himself, this being Scotland.

The children were silent, some of them evidently scared, like Neville, who appeared to be sniffling slightly. Harry took comfort in holding Hermione's hand – to his own surprise he realised he had not let go once since stepping onto the platform.

'Yeh'll be seeing Hogwarts for tha firs' time right now,' Hagrid called back over his shoulders, 'right 'ere.'

Kids being kids, there was a loud 'Oooh!' as the road curved to the edge of a great dark loch. On the other side was a high mountain topped by a mediaeval castle with many towers and turrets, all its windows lit by flickering torches.

'Four t'a boat, no more'n that!' Hagrid called, pointing out a fleet of little boats sitting in the water. The colossus stayed on the shore, making sure everyone made it into a boat.

Harry helped Hermione enter a little boat before he stepped in himself, for the first time since the platform letting go of her hand. After he stepped in as well, the duo was joined by Neville, who had somehow ended up with branches and leaves all over his robes as if he had fallen into the brushes on the side of the small path somehow (he somehow had), as well as a red-haired and freckled boy with ragged robes and a bored look on his face.

'Everyone in?' shouted Hagrid, who took seat in a boat all to himself, 'Right then – FORWARD!'

And at that the eleven little boats with people in them began gliding forward as if they were on a track across the smooth lake. The kids were silent, looking towards the castle and approaching cliff side in awe.

'Watch yer heads!' yelled Hagrid as the boats neared the cliff, and passed through a curtain of ivy into a cavern that quickly lead to a tunnel. Shortly they reached an underground harbour.

As the boats docked themselves in the small harbour, the kids all stepped out of their boats. Harry held out his hand for Hermione to get up, and again did not let go afterwards.  
The group climbed a set of stone chairs, and then walked through a field of grass towards the road that led to the castle doors.

'We still have ev'ryone with us? Right then!' Hagrid raised his enormous first and slammed it thrice into the oak castle door.

The door was opened by a tall black-haired witch in green robes, with a very stern look on her face. She reminded Harry very much of one of his tutors from back in Gibraltar, and he made a note to himself never to get on her bad side.

'The fir'sies, Professor McGonagall,' said Hagrid. 'Dear Merlin, not even fifty of them,' the witch muttered.

Then she thanked the groundskeeper, and Hagrid left the group with a little wave. Harry saw him beginning to walk down the road to where he thought he saw a number of stables.  
Professor McGonagall opened the door wide, and let the group step in. The Entrance Hall was so big it could easily hold over a few hundred people, its stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was so high it was lost in the darkness, there were great doors to the left and the right, and at the other end from the front door was a marble staircase.

Behind the largest right-hand door hundreds of voices could be heard, and Hermione whispered to Harry that the entire school must already be there. Professor McGonagall led the children through the a smaller door on the right into a side room. It was smaller than the Entrance Hall, but not so small the kids had to be crowded into each other.

'Welcome to Hogwarts,' said the professor.  
'You will shortly be entering the Great Hall, but before we begin the start-of-term banquet every one of you will be sorted into your houses. Your house will determine who your classmates will be, where you sleep, and where you will be expected to be after curfew.  
'The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has a noble history and has produced outstanding wizards and witches. You are among the elite of Wizarding Society, and will be expected to show the proper behaviour we expect of a Hogwarts student. To help enforce this, your triumphs will bring your house points, while any rule-breaking will cost your house points. At the end of each year, the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup. It is to be considered a great honour to win this and as such I trust everyone here will be at their best behaviour during the year.  
'Now I expect you all to smarten yourselves up,' at this the stern witch looked at Neville's dirty cloak, as well as the red-haired freckled boy's face, which had chocolate stains on it, 'The Sorting Ceremony will begin shortly.'

The witch left, and the children began murmuring among themselves.

'Do you know how we'll be sorted? Dad refused to tell me,' Harry asked Hermione.

'I expect it to be some kind of test,' she answered.

'My brothers said we'll have to wrestle a troll,' shouted out the freckled boy.

'Do be _reasonable_,' Hermione began in a nagging tone. 'Expecting children of our age to handle a class-XXXX creature is _absurd_. Only an _idiot_ would believe such a stupid story.'

'Don't you call me or my brothers stupid you –' blusted the red-haired boy in response, but stopped when Harry placed his free hand on his shoulder.

'Look mate she doesn't mean any harm. Let's start over shall we? I'm Harry, and my friend here is Hermione,' he attempted to defuse the situation.

'Ron Weasley,' the boy responded angrily, 'and I'm not your mate.' He shrugged off Harry's hand and pointedly turned away from them. Harry just smiled at Hermione and rolled his eyes a bit.

'Th-there is a spell of sorts on it,' Neville spoke up. 'My gran told me nobody who doesn't know about the sorting can be told about it, it's something the Founders did.'

Hermione nodded, that sounded like something that fit as she had not been able to find a single reference to how the sorting worked _anywhere_ in her books.

Then suddenly about twenty ghosts drifted through the back wall, gliding across the room while talking. Few seemed to pay attention to the children, as they were talking about giving some 'Peeves' another chance.

'I say, what are you all doing here?' asked a ghost wearing an Elizabethan costume, as he realised they had an audience.

Nobody dared to answer.

'New students, about to be sorted I assume?' asked a rather fat monk.

A few students, Hermione among them, nodded in response.

'Excellent! Hope to see you in Hufflepuff, my old house you know,' the ghost replied.

Any further discussion was halted by Professor McGonagall, who had returned. Some of the ghosts waved a greeting at her as they left through another wall.

'Now, form a line and move along now. We're ready for you all.'

Harry let go of Hermione's hand, and took his place in line behind her as they walked back out of the chamber through a large set of double doors into the Great Hall.

It was the largest chamber Harry had ever seen. Thousands of candles floated in the air over four long tables where hundreds of students were seated. The tables were all decked with golden cutlery and beautifully decorated. Harry felt as if all the students were watching them as they walked through the middle of the hall, stopping just in front of the fifth table, at which a group of adults – the teachers – were seated, and the children spread out a little.

'The ceiling is bewitched to look just like the outside sky,' whispered Hermione to him, 'I read about it in _Hogwarts: A History_.'

Harry didn't reply, as his attention was focused on Professor McGonagall, who had produced a tattered old wizard's hat from somewhere and placed on a small stool facing the group. After a few seconds of terse silence, the hat suddenly sprouted a rip that opened like a mouth, and it began to sing.

_Sorting Hat song here_

Among huge applause from the entire assembly, Harry whispered to Hermione:  
'We just have to wear a hat? And to think Ron actually thought we had to face a troll.'

Hermione giggled, but Ron shot them a dirty look. He had evidently overheard them.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a huge roll of parchment,

'When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted,' she said. 'Abbott, Hannah!'

A little blonde girl stumbled forward, and put on the hat. A moment later –

'HUFFLEPUFF!' shouted the hat.

Among applause, Hannah joined her new table, where the fat monk ghost was also sitting.

Then the next name was called, 'Black, Harold Janus!'

* * *

A/N: I know I'm an evil git for ending here, but the next scene will explain why you're reading about _Harold Janus Black_ rather than Harry James Potter. Janus of course is a Roman God, but also a moon of Saturn to fit the Black astronomical name scheme.

Sorry for the cop out on the Sorting Hat song, if you really want to know it just pick up your copy of _Philosopher's Stone_. This is a huge filler chapter, and I already had to stay closer to the canon than I am comfortable with, but in my defence Harry is not an actor here, but rather just following the motions. Even with his changes from canon I don't see this part of the tale being significantly different from what JKR wrote about.

So here's our first view of Ron Weasley. He won't be Harry's best mate in this story, but I won't bash him either. This is Ron how I see him book one: he has some growing up to do before he knows how to act among people. Hermione has the same problem, she's basically anti-social.

I'm glad I won't need to write more Hagrid talk soon. I have no idea how is accent works so hopefully this isn't too far off the portrayal in the books.

A/N 2: Format edited 17-06. I've been told I need to use more blank lines to make it easier to read :)


	4. Black November

Disclaimer: Does the economy in the series make sense, or do solid gold coins have a purchase power of less than a tenner? If that's the case I guess JK Rowling is still the owner of the rights to Harry Potter.

**Chapter Four**

**Black November**

Sirius Orion Black was the heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, former Marauder, a young adult who had been kicked out of his family's home at the age of sixteen, and currently very, _very_, angry and concerned. He had felt the wards fall at his brother-in-all-but-blood James Potter's house and had rushed there, only to be met by a partially destroyed home, the bodies of his best friend and poor, beautiful Lily, and a hysterically crying and bleeding baby. Voldemort and his Death Eater cronies were nowhere in sight, but Sirius heard the _pop_ of someone apparating out just as he arrived.  
Sirius had yelled in anger and pain at seeing his best friend dead, but Harry's cries reminded him of his duties. Just as he came back downstairs, cradling his godson in his arms, of all people Rubeus Hagrid appeared on the front step in a blue portkey flash.

'Hagrid, it's horrible... James and Lily they're –' Sirius couldn't complete his sentence for fighting back a tear.

'I ken tha', Sirius. Dumbledore, great man tha', sen' me here ta pick up young Harry,' was the reply of the half-giant.

'Pick up Harry? No need Hagrid, I'm taking him to Saint Mungos and them we're off to my home. Oh Merlin, I have to tell the Aurors about Peter, and deal with the Goblins, and –'

'Han' over Harry Sirius,' Hagrid grumbled. 'I have orders ta take him to Hogwarts righ'a'way.'

'Not happening Hagrid,' Sirius replied, shifting Harry off to his left arm and preparing to free his wand from the holster. 'You can go back to Dumbledore right now and tell him I am ahead of things, tell him that Peter betrayed us all.'

'Give Harry here or I'll –' the colossus growled as he stepped towards Sirius, only to be met by the angry young man's most powerful stunner.

'Dammit Dumbledore, what are you playing at? Looks like I can't waste any more time now...'

Sirius secured Harry into the side car of his Triumph Bonneville, and flew the motorcycle to London, leaving the stunned groundskeeper at the ruins. He had more important things to deal with now, namely his godson and a treacherous rat.

On reaching the outskirts of London he landed the motorcycle and drove to the abandoned _Purge and Dowse, Ltd._ store front in Holborn. Parking his bike he picked up Harry again, who was sleeping now, and let the mannequin in the window know he was bringing in an injured infant. Sirius stepped through, and was met by a Healer standing by. Despite the late hour, St Mungo's was fully prepared to take care of wounded, this being a time of war.  
The next two hours were busy, as Healers stumbled over themselves to take care of the wounded Harry, and Sirius contacted the Auror department in the mean time. He explained the murder of the Potters, the Secret Keeper switch, and Hagrid's strange behaviour to the Aurors who came to interview him. As he told them about Pettigrew's rat animagus form, he had voluntarily taken veritaserum to prove he was telling the truth. His own animagus form was kept a secret though.

'Mr Black?' Head Healer Longshanks who was dealing with Harry interrupted the interview, 'our examinations are completed.'

'Do you mind gentlemen? I need to take care of Harry now,' Sirius asked the Aurors. As they had no reason to suspect him and needed to check back with their superiors in any case, they allowed for the interview to end with the proviso that Sirius would check in at the Ministry of Magic the next morning.

Sirius followed the Healer to a room where Harry was now sleeping, his forehead cleaned and bandaged.

'We have treated his wound,' the Healer began, 'but there is some dark spell residue behind the scar we cannot treat at the moment. Harry's magical core is severely depleted and attempting to deal with a curse of this matter right now might kill him.'

'Merlin,' sighed Sirius. 'At least tell me it is not too dangerous before you can do something.'

'I have to be honest Mr Black, I've never seen this particular effect before. I would like to defer this case to a specialist.'

'Do you have someone in mind?'

'The absolute top in the field is Señor Felipe Madrazo, of the Cordoba hospital. I can contact him and see if he is available if you agree?'

Sirius quickly accepted and thanked him, then looked in on his sleeping godson.

'It's a real mess kid, but we're in this together,' he told the infant, before he took a seat in the room and napped off a little later. It was close to 4am by now.

Back in Godric's Hollow, Hagrid had woken from being stunned. Seeing that Sirius was long gone, he thought about returning to Hogwarts empty-handed, but his grumbling stomach had other ideas.  
He walked to the public floo station in the Hollow, hidden near the cemetary and protected with Muggle repelling wards, and flood to the Leaky Cauldron where he spent the evening talking loudly about how You-know-who had been defeated – Hagrid didn't provide any details as Dumbledore had not given him any –, and that Sirius was evil, before he eventually passed out over his tankard. The barman, Tom, was long used to this and with the help of some other regulars rolled Hagrid onto a cot in the back.

Meanwhile the parties to celebrate the end of the war were starting, and the nightly Auror force was called out in full to take care of emergency obliviations. The only ones not participating in this were the Aurors who were busy first interrogating Sirius Black, who were then called to give their findings in an emergency meeting between the head of the Auror Department Amelia Bones, the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Barty Crouch, and Minister of Magic Millicent Bagnold.

Dumbledore was at Hogwarts, waiting for Hagrid to arrive. His new potions master and spy Severus Snape had not returned from his trip earlier that day, and would not be seen until Monday the second when he showed up to teach his classes. Dumbledore would never learn Snape had been the first to arrive at Godric's Hollow, but had left when he had seen Lily's dead body.  
By one A.M. Hagrid had still not arrived, and Dumbledore nodded off to sleep, trusting he would be awoken by one of the House Elves when Hagrid arrived.

Sirius woke early the next morning when a different Healer came in to check on young Harry.

'I need to be at the Ministry, can I take Harry with me?' he asked the witch.

'It would be against my recommendation sir, the child still has a depleted core,' was the reply. Before Sirius could ask her again, two Aurors showed up.

'Mr Black? Your presence has been requested by Madam Bones,' Auror Gobbins told the young man. As his partner promised to keep guard over young Harry, Sirius acquiesced to leave with Gobbins for his meeting.

At the Ministry, things were exceptionally busy for a sunday morning. Half the Aurors were still dealing with the cleanup of the impromptu parties of the night, and the other half was starting to hunt down the suspected Death Eaters, Peter Pettigrew among them.  
Minister Bagnold had declared a State of Emergency, and all members of the executive branch of government were called in. As the Chief Warlock, Albus Dumbledore, was only the head of the judicial branch, he was not needed until the trials started and no further thought of his absence in this matter was given.

'Mr Black, thank you for coming so quickly,' Amelia Bones greeted him tersely. It was obvious she had not slept all night.  
'I have examined your statement to my Aurors last night and wish to let you know you are not currently under any suspicion. May I ask what your plans for the immediate future are?'

'Thank you Madam Bones,' Sirius replied, relief obvious. 'My first thought was to hunt down that rat Pettigrew, but I have Harry to think of now. The Healers informed me he needs special care and I intend to give that to him. I will be leaving the country as soon as St Mungos releases him.'

'I see,' Amelia was looking a bit conflicted. 'We have checked with the Goblins, and the copy of the Potters' will does grant you full responsibility over Harry. However I would prefer it if you would stay in England until at least Pettigrew is brought before the Wizengamot.'

'Part of me wishes the same Madam, but Harry is my first priority now. If you need help in identifying his animagus form, you can contact my friend Remus Lupin.'

'If that is your decision, I will accept it. Please sign the following statement about your actions yesterday and you may leave.'

Sirius read over the report and found it accurately mentioned the facts he had told them, including a description Pettigrew's animagus form, and signed it. He then returned to St Mungos.

'Mr Black,' the receptionist at St Mungo's called to Sirius before he could go back up the stairs. 'Your godson is awake and in good shape. Head Healer Longshanks wishes to speak with you, he's with young Harry.'

Sirius thanked her and went to the Healer.

'Any news Healer?'

'Good news,' Healer Longshanks replied. 'I've floo talked with Señor Madrazo and he has agreed to see Harry at his first opportunity to do so. I have the information you need to get to the Cordoba hospital written here for you,' he handed over a roll of parchment.

'I cannot thank you enough. May I take my godson home now?'

'In principle yes,' Healer Longshanks had a contemplative look, 'however Señor Madrazo mentioned it would be best to expose Harry to as little magic as possible until he could look at the wound himself.'

'That won't be an issue, I have a non-magical transport and my home is in a Muggle area. Can we go to Spain by Muggle means?'

'By all means,' was the reply.

Sirius looked in on his godson, and taking the now again smiling infant in his arms he signed Harry out of the hospital and went home.

The Black solicitor had never officially been told by Orion Black to disbar his heir Sirius from the family, and as Orion's widow Walburga had no power to decide over family matters, when Sirius contacted Alphard Howe the solicitor immediately cleared his agenda and visited the Head of House Black. A quick meeting later, Howe headed to the Goblins to tell them officially that Sirius had taken up the guardianship of young Harry Potter, that they would not be at the will reading which would be scheduled for the following Friday because of medical reasons, and that a Muggle passport for Black and the young Potter were needed.  
Proving again that gold opened all doors, the passports were ready within an hour, and in the hands of Sirius shortly after.

It was now just after eleven on Sunday, the first of November. By this time Albus Dumbledore had been awake for just over an hour, and he had frantically called the Order of the Phoenix to search for Hagrid, Snape, Sirius, and of course young Harry. Hagrid would be found sleeping off his hangover in Tom's bar; Snape sent a Patronus message around one P.M. that informed Dumbledore that A) Snape was at home, B) Snape was – very out of character for him – drunk, and C) Snape was not to be disturbed '_or anyone calling would be cut up for potions ingredients_'; and lastly Sirius and Harry would not be found anywhere.

The Marauder and his godson were in fact on a Muggle aeroplane from Heathrow to Gibraltar. Gold opened all doors, including getting a last-minute plane ticket, first class of course.

* * *

A/N: so here's chapter 4, and my first divergence into a full AU. You now know how Sirius ended up with Harry in his care and why they ended up near the south of Spain. I had to split up the chapter since I want to keep all of them around the same length, so the next chapters will continue 1981.  
After that we're jumping back to 1991 and Harry's first day at Hogwarts. I think there's a little ceremony going on you might want to see the outcome of.

Is the timeline of the attack clear? In case there's any doubt, according to canon Snape was the first to arrive at the cottage (see DH), so he is the one that is heard leaving as Sirius arrives. Snape is so upset about finding Lily dead that he spends the rest of the weekend getting drunk.

Both the Attack at Godric's Hollow (1981) and Harry's first day at Hogwarts a decade later take place over a weekend. Thought that was rather an interesting coincidence.

A/N 2: Silly tidbit: including author's notes, my chapters are slowly getting a little longer each time. I guess I either have too long ANs or I just end up expanding the chapters more and more as I rewrite.

I am floored by the support I get for this story. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing it, your feedback is inspiring me to keep writing.

**I would really like a beta for this story**. If you're interested in helping me make my story more legible and more internally consistent, please contact me.

A/N 3: corrected an error on the head of the DMLE, thanks Red Phoenix Dragon for pointing it out. I've also edited the formatting a bit, hopefully it's easier to read now.  
Since I've had a few questions on it: single quotes for speech are according to British English usage rules.  
I prefer the look over double quotation marks, hopefully it doesn't prevent you from enjoying the story.


	5. The Black Rock

Disclaimer: are known Death Eaters running around free after even the _second_ fall of Voldemort, just because they chose to switch sides at the end? If so, Harry Potter can't be mine.

**Chapter Five**

**The Black Rock**

Sirius Black was terrified beyond belief. The small metal tube he was sitting in was absolutely safe, his solicitor had assured him, as thousands of Muggles used it daily. And at first Sirius had to agree, even if the airport had been crowded beyond belief and the odd routine of _checking in_ was somehow both easier than expected (apparently being known as a Vee Eye Pee was a good thing), he was not too fond of being strapped in a seat, Harry being strapped into something called a _booster seat_ next to him.  
But then the engines began roaring, and the aeroplane began moving forward faster than Sirius had even ever seen James do in his Quidditch chaser days.

'First time flying sir?' asked the – attractive, a part of Sirius noticed – flight attendant with a slight smile. 'May I offer you something to drink?'

Somehow Sirius managed to stammer out _whisky_, and while he sipped his glass he saw Harry was being brought a colouring book and pencil by the smiling attendant, which would keep the little one busy for a while.

By the time the aeroplane was beginning its descent towards the Crown Colony, Sirius was just buzzed enough to no longer be scared, and Harry was napping until the pressure changes in the cabin caused him to cry out briefly.  
Sirius calmed the toddler and debarked the aeroplane in good spirits. He had not only survived his first trip aboard an aeroplane, he had also gotten the _telephone_ number of Cindy, the first flight attendant he had ever met and flirted with.  
Maybe things were looking up, he could never be grateful enough to Lily Potter for explaining to him how the contraptions worked – and then he thought of Lily, and sadness rose up.

Sirius picked up his small suitcase (magically expanded on the inside, even his Triumph was in there all shrunk, and whatever the Goblins did to it made sure it would never set up any alarms in Muggle scanners), and walked towards a young man holding a sign 'SIRUS BLACK'.  
Grumbling a bit about the misspelt first name, he introduced himself to the young man.

'Mr Black? I'm Manuel. Mr Howe informed the company you would be arriving. I have a car ready to take you to the Black residence.'

'Thanks Manuel. Is the house ready for us? Harry is getting a little cranky.'

'The firm has hired a squib to take care of things for you sir,' Manuel replied, at the same time informing Sirius he was magical himself, or at least a squib.

Sirius was relieved at this, that meant he did not have to deal with groceries or cooking. While he had been living on his own since he was seventeen, he seldom had to cook as he was equally at home in Muggle restaurants as he was in the few magical ones.  
Having to deal with changing a toddler's diaper was bad enough, he really didn't want to also have to clean and cook.

Sirius took the next few days to get settled in Gibraltar.  
The Black 'Villa' on the rock was actually an apartment, but it was magically expanded and protected, much like the Black town house at Grimauld Place that had served as the family seat since the destruction of their ancestral manor in the early nineteenth Century.

Harry had an appointment with Señor Madrazo near the end of the month, giving Sirius enough time to establish contacts with people somehow working for the Black businesses in the proud little city. He was a bit shocked to see that the formerly great Black Empire (as his father had referred to it many times before Sirius left home) had not had any investments since the death of Orion two years prior, as Sirius' mother Walburga was neither interested in what she called '_Muggle nonsense_' nor allowed for the Black solicitors to continue their work.

Somewhat reluctantly accepting that he, Sirius, was now the Head of the Family, he began making sure that the 'Empire' would recover and keep revenue going. He couldn't do anything about his mother's rather large stipend as that was set out in his father's will, but small loss there. The '_Grim Old Place_' would be sold as soon as she finally died, he vowed to himself.

It was a shock to learn his brother Regulus had been declared legally dead since the previous year, not having been seen alive since 1979. 'Another thing the old witch withheld from me', he thought to himself. While Regulus and he had not been very close ever since Sirius had fled the family home and rumours were that Reggie had joined up with the Death Eaters, he had still been Sirius' little brother.

While Sirius was getting settled in Gibraltar and dealing with a young toddler who kept crying for his daddy and mummy, a crumbling business empire, and attempting to use a phone for one of the first times in his life to arrange a 'date' with an eager girl named Cindy, matters in Wizarding Britain continued.

'_Potters Murdered, You-know-who Defeated!_' was the subject line plastered across the _Daily Prophet_ that Monday, November the second. The article described in general terms that the Dark Lord had been killed at a clash at the Potter Home that left both adult Potters dead as well, as told by an 'anonymous source' – a drunk Hagrid in the Leaky Cauldron – as well as an initial confirmation by 'someone in government'.  
Harry was not mentioned at all, but the article went on to (erroneously) state that Sirius Black of the infamous house was wanted for questioning by the DMLE.

Dumbledore had been initially furious at Hagrid for allowing Sirius to leave with Harry, and not reporting back, but when the Order members could not find Sirius anywhere, and reported back that rumours were going on that insinuated Sirius had been a member of the Death Eaters – thanks to Hagrid's drunken grumbles the night before – Dumbledore saw a way to spin matters to get Harry under his control. He had been the one to leak to the press that Voldemort was indeed defeated, and that the Potters were dead. He had also fanned the flames against Sirius by bringing up the family's dark reputation.

'_Boy-who-lived defeats Dark Lord_' was the headline the following day, accompanied by a picture of a scarred young Harry, taken by one of the less scrupulous Healers at St Mungos and sold to the Prophet for a good many Galleons. The text of the article came nearly completely from Dumbledore's hand however, as it went on to describe how the Dark Lord had been taken down by Harry Potter somehow, and coining the Boy-who-lived nickname.

Dumbledore hoped all the attention on Harry would allow him to build his case for guardianship with the Ministry, but there he was not so lucky: while he tried to seal the wills of James and Lily Potter at the Wizengamot meeting that Tuesday, he was informed by Amelia Bones that at Sirius Black's request, the will had already been submitted to Gringotts for a formal reading that Friday, and that Sirius Black had taken up the guardianship of his godson as per the parents' request. His attempts to have the Potter vaults sealed as to _protect_ them was also denied, as the goblins informed him that Sirius had already taken over in name of his ward, and in fact demanded that Dumbledore return the Potter heirloom he had borrowed from James, a certain invisibility cloak.

'_Where is the Boy-who-lived?_' and '_Sirius Black, the Dark Lord's right-hand man?_' were some of the headlines the following days.  
While legally Sirius Black was not in any trouble, since he was known not to be in the country the _Prophet_ had no problem dragging Sirius' name down the mud, using information freely provided by Albus Dumbledore and his followers. Over the next few weeks the furor would die some as attention was shifted to first the horrible attack on the Longbottoms and then the Death Eater trials, but Sirius' name popped up from time to time, never in good light.

Walburga Black was cackling with delight at the thought her oldest son had been 'the right sort' after all, and did nothing to call back the press hounds, and in fact made an open statement she was proud that her eldest was 'supporting pure-blood rights' after all.

Peter Pettigrew was not caught. In the chaos surrounding Bartemius Crouch's sudden resignation from the DMLE a new secretary, one Dolores Umbridge, made several search warrants for suspected Death Eaters disappear. Pettigrew was lucky enough to be in the stack, he had not been mentioned by anyone yet.  
As Sirius Black was out of the reach of the Department, the only one who knew about his animagus form might have been Remus Lupin, but Dumbledore never told him about what Sirius had said about the switch in Secret Keepers.  
Lupin therefore was convinced that Black had been the traitor, and assumed Pettigrew had been killed as nothing was heard from the rat again.  
Amelia Bones and her Aurors simply forgot about Sirius' testimony.

Pettigrew in fact had returned to Godric's Hollow that very night of the attack, between the times Hagrid left and the Aurors arrived. He found the Dark Lord's wand near Lily Potter's body, and took it with him. Despite having betrayed one of his best friends, he could not bear to look at the dead bodies longer and thus didn't think to search the Potter house for money.  
Afraid that at any moment either Sirius Black or a full Auror squad would show up at his front door, he morphed into rat form and disappeared into the wild.

The Ministry did what it did best, which was ignoring the press completely. There were no laws against libel or slander on the books, and Sirius did not have many friends in government who might be tempted to defend him: while Amelia Bones certainly respected him, she felt it was not her job to take on the mighty press. She was far too busy dealing with the fallout of having had to take over the DMLE in any case, as Barty Crouch had been forced to resign when his son was revealed to be a Death Eater.

Alastor Moody might have been tempted to speak up for his fellow Order member, but Dumbledore had made it clear Sirius had betrayed the Order somehow, so he kept his silence.

In Gibraltar, Sirius was unaware of the trouble stirring up back home, as the _Daily Prophet_ was not carried to the city. He reluctantly sent a missive back to the Ministry through Mr Howe that he and Harry would not be at the burial of James and Lily as it was not safe for Harry to travel. James and Lily were buried in the Potter family plot in Godric's Hollow, and their personal possessions which could be salvaged from the destroyed Potter home were stored in the vault at Gringotts.

As the day of the appointment with Señor Madrazo came up, Sirius took Harry in a car again driven by young Manuel, the reminder to avoid magic as much as possible around the child clear in Sirius' mind, and they took the three hour ride to the old Andalusian city.  
Harry had been slowly cheering up over the past week, no longer needing to be held for hours on end nightly as he cried for mummy. This role first fell to Monica, the young squib who was hired as a live-in nanny, although Sirius took care of Harry a number of times as well. That Monica was attractive and eager to please her employer was an extra bonus.

Despite the best care from both Sirius and Monica, Harry's ugly scar did not seem to want to heal. Still flaming red as if fresh, while it was clean and no longer bleeding it showed no sign of healing by itself.  
Cordoba filled much the same role London did in England for the magical populace, holding the government, the main shopping district, as well as the primary hospital, the 'C_entro para enfermedades Mágicas_', or '_Hospital de Bruja_' as some locals called it. Unlike in Wizarding Britain, Spain's Wizarding capital also held the main magical school, the '_Academia del Mago_'.

Señor Madrazo was a specialist in Dark Curses at this hospital and Sirius and Harry were quickly sent on to his section of the hospital when they arrived.

'Mr Black, a pleasure to make your acquaintance,' the gentle looking old man said in nearly accent-less English as Sirius introduced himself.  
'This would be young Harry? Has he been kept in a magic neutral enviroment the past few weeks as requested?'

'As much as possible Señor, I've kept my House Elf away from Harry and have hired a squib to take care of Harry instead.'

'_Bueno_, if you'll be willing to place young Harry over here I can get started with my examination.'

Felipe Madrazo took out his wand, and began a series of complex spells that seemed to centre on Harry's scar. After a particularly intrinsic spell series, he called in some assistant Healers who began their own spells.

Sirius was beginning to get worried by the looks on their faces. Their rapid discussion in Spanish was lost on him, but he knew from experience not to interrupt specialists at work. After what seemed to him to be hours, Señor Madrazo finally called him over again.

'Mr Black, the results are in. First let me assure you, Harry is not in any immediate danger...'

'But he is in some danger?'

'_Si_. His scar, it registers as the darkest of dark magics, a '_contenedor del alma_' as we call it. The closest translation I can think of would be 'soul jar'.'

'I have never heard of such a thing,' Sirius replied,  
'but it sounds horrible. How do we remove it from Harry?'

'I will need to call in some experts from the '_Departamento de Misterios_', this kind of magic is beyond me. With your permission?'

Sirius quickly granted this, then taking his godson to the cafetaria for some food and a bottle while they waited for the experts to arrive.

'Mr Black? Please follow me.'

Señor Madrazo himself had come to pick up Sirius and Harry. He guided them to another part of the hospital, eventually into what Sirius recognized as a ritual chamber.  
Five cloaked persons were present, their faces covered by their hoods. They were standing at the points of a pentagram partially drawn in a white sand-like material on the stone floor, with two legs not yet drawn so as to allow one to still step into the centre without crossing any line.

'Mr Black, upon reviewing Señor Madrazo's data we came immediately,' one of the cloaked wizards spoke.

Sirius could not tell if they were male or female.

'Your ward has been infected by magic most foul, and we need to cleanse it as soon as possible before it permanently damages him.'

'Wha-what kind of magic? What do we need to do?'

'I will not mention the magic used in this chamber as Words have Meaning here. Please, undress your ward and place him in the middle of the pentagram. You will then either leave, or agree to be magically bound and silenced if you wish to remain in the chamber.'

'Unacceptable! He is my godson, and I don't even know who you are!'

'Please Mr Black,' stated Señor Madrazo, 'trust us. I will take a magical vow Harry will not be unnecessarily harmed if you wish and provide you with all the information I can, but please let these wizards save your godson's life.'

'That was a low blow, but... all right then,' Sirius replied after a few moments of silence.  
'I apologize, and no vow will be needed.'

'Then please place the child inside the pentagram. Will you agree to be silenced and bound, or shall we come collect you once the ritual is complete?' asked the cloaked wizard who had been speaking before.

'I will stay with Harry.'

Reluctantly Sirius undressed Harry, and laid him down in the middle of the pentagram. He took a few steps back, and two of the cloaked wizards drew the missing legs, closing the star. Señor Madrazo indicated a place near the wall where Sirius could sit down, then silenced and magically bound him before leaving the chamber.

* * *

A/N: I see many authors tend to have Harry or other wizards tell others things like 'call me Harry, Mr Potter was my father.' This informality is simply not how I think Britishness works. I had an _English _coworker who absolutely insisted on using last names with everyone until he became friends with them. Thus Sirius and Felipe remain Mr Black and Señor Madrazo to each other.

I'm going to need at least one more chapter to wrap up the 1980s before we can return to Harry at Hogwarts and more show, less tell. The chapter currently has reached nearly four thousand words so is already over my self-imposed limit, hope I won't need to split it.

The Spanish used is courtesy of Google Translate. I hope it isn't too nonsensical!

Over a thousand unique visitors on this story as I post this chapter. Wow. Thank you for reading my silly little fanfic.  
I've been posting a chapter per day since starting this, counting my one shots (see my profile for those). That rapid rate will stop now, sorry. The coming chapters need more attention as I find myself being able to use less and less from the old story, and I want to keep a nice buffer for writing.

Still, the next chapter should be up soon. I will never hold my updates hostage by demanding reviews, but reviews do inspire me to write faster.

* * *

Let's try this out shall we?  
Story recommendation for this chapter is **Fairy Champions: Tale of Time** by Zabyne, story ID **9173681** and on my fav stories list. It's a sweet Lunar Harmony story that helped inspire me to finally finish writing my own story.


	6. The Ritual - What Can Possibly Go Wrong?

_Disclaimer: Are Dwarfs mentioned anywhere except when they are used for a cheap joke? No? Then Harry Potter and associated properties are not my property._

**Chapter Six**

**The Ritual, or What Can Possibly Go Wrong?**

Inside the ritual chamber, the first phase was now complete. The fully drawn pentagram suddenly lit as if by fire, and runes had begun appearing near its intersections.

'_Salve Ianus Patulci_,' chanted a wizard who had not been speaking earlier.

'_Salve Ianus Clusive_,' chanted another.

It had been years since Sirius had heard classical Latin, as most spells were in the strange modern Latin dialect wizards all over the western world used. The ritual continued in the dead language:

'Greetings Janus, lord of passage from nothing to life,' the third chanted.

'Greetings Janus, lord of passage from life to death,' chanted the fourth.

'Your servants beseech you to be a soul's guide,' chanted the wizard who had been speaking earlier.

The pentagram was glowing brighter and brighter, and a white fog had begun appearing directly over Harry. As the five wizards continued chanting, Sirius saw a head appear in the fog, which somehow seemed to have two faces on opposite sides of its skull. One face was a young man's, another as old as time. Or was it that one was happy, the other angry? No, it was the face of a fool, and that of a tragic actor, then it was– Sirius looked away. It was impossible to tell as the faces changed every time he reconsidered them.

'Lord Janus,' spoke the wizard who seemed to be the leader of the group in a respectful tone,  
'this young child carries in him the soul of one who should have passed on. If it pleases you, take the abomination one to his final destination.'

'And what will the child pay with?' asked a binary voice coming out of the ether.

Sirius began to struggle against his bounds and the silencing spell, this was not going as planned!

Suddenly Janus seemed to, somehow, simultaneously focus both its faces on Sirius and peered into his eyes. Sirius felt the being enter his mind, as he was thinking desperately that he had to save Harry somehow, he could not let this being take his godson!

'The child is tainted, by both good and bad magic. I will take neither or both,' spoke Janus.

'_Will he live?__'__t_hought Sirius.

'The child will survive as he is now, but I will take the curses, both good and bad, from him if you agree. The two are inseparable.'

'_Take it_,' Sirius thought. Harry had to live.

Janus retreated from Sirius' mind.

'So be it!' sounded in the chamber, and a dark mist rose from Harry's head as the scar split open, followed by a white mist that had tentacles of darkness inside it.  
Janus closed all four of his eyes, and when he reopened them both the dark and white mist disappeared.

Sirius felt the bindings drop as all magic appeared to be drawn from the chamber, and rushed towards Harry, pushing one of the cloaked wizards aside even as the wizard cried '_Alto!_'

'_Please Merlin, don't let him have taken Harry from me_,' he thought as he held Harry... and felt something from deep inside the child reach towards his own magical core.

There was a bright flash as the pentagram seemed to explode, and Sirius knew no more.

Sirius awoke in a bright white void, with nothing recognizable in sight.

'Hello?' he called, 'anyone?'

'Sirius, you're an idiot,' came from behind him.

Sirius turned around to see his brother in all but blood, James Potter standing there, a smile on the bespectacled wizard's face.

'James! You're alive!' Sirius cried out, hugging the other.

'Not exactly,' James replied. 'I'm afraid I won't be passing the Quaffle around any longer in Quidditch.'

'But then – am I dead?'

'Not exactly again... although you probably should be. You were very foolish to interrupt the ritual when you did, oh yes I was keeping track of you. Thank you for taking care of Harry, my brother.  
'Lily had cast a blood runic spell to protect Harry in case Dumbledore's protections on our home would fail, that is what destroyed the Dark Lord. Unfortunately the Killing Curse had corrupted this magic, and allowed You-know-who's soul fragment to interweave with Lily's protective magic.  
'When you interrupted the ritual you caused a magical backlash. Janus had taken both You-know-who and Lily's magic from Harry, and was intending to separate the two and then return Lily's protective magic to Harry, but you spoiled it.'

'Did I hurt Harry somehow? Merlin... I'm so –'

'It's complicated... When you jumped in when you did, you intercepted the returning magic and caused it to pass through your own magical core before it ended up back in Harry. The effect was that whereas before it was based on Harry's mother's magical signature, this was now changed to yours.'

'You can't mean –'

'Sirius Orion Black!' a female voice yelled. 'You stole my son!'

It's often said that redheads have a temper, and nobody fit that stereotype to a T like Lily Evans-Potter, even after her own demise. She had not been a meek victim during the six years that James Potter had relentlessly pursued her, oh no she gave him many a tongue lashing... before she found a more pleasant way to use her tongue with the no-longer-stuck-up Pureblood.  
The glare Lily was now shooting at Sirius promised a long, painful death and Sirius did what all brave men did when faced with the wrath of a capable woman: he ducked behind his best friend for protection, shifting to his dog animagus form on instinct.

It took less than a minute under Lily's glare of death for Padfoot to whimper in submission, and then Lily cracked out in laughter.

'Relax Padfoot, Janus explained the whole story to us.' The attractive red-head walked up to her husband and was now smiling.

'You foolish brave man. Your intention was good, and I am not all that displeased with the result. Janus just took advantage of the situation, remember he is also known as Chaos.  
'When you stepped between Janus and Harry when you did, Janus swapped out my magical signature with yours. And yes, that does magically make you Harry's –'

'You're Harry's magical mother Padfoot!' blurted out James, as he howled in laughter.

Sirius shifted back to his human form, and just stared at his dead friends, before he began to see the humour in the situation.

'I've been pranked by _Janus_, the magical patron of pranking itself!'

'In all seriousness– and don't even try that tired joke,' James continued when they calmed down, just in time to pre-empt Sirius from reacting to the sound-alike for his name.  
'This gives you an opportunity. To magic, Harry is no longer _just_ Harry James Potter. If you recognize him as your heir in an official magical ceremony, he will be seen as your son.  
'We do not have a long time left to chat unfortunately, but I ask you do this as my last request. It would be best for all of us if Harry James Potter is not seen in public any longer. He has people on both sides of the Blood War after him.  
'Things are happening now in England which do not spell much good for Harry _Potter_, Dumbledore is not the man we thought he was.'

'I'm not sure I understand everything, but you're sure James? Lily?' Sirius looked at both his friends.

They nodded, then embraced Sirius for the last time. 'Take care of Harry for us, and thank you.'

Sirius saw his friends and the white void fade away, then became aware that the whiteness was a lit wand tip being held over his head. He blinked into the light, and the wand was extinguished.

'Mister Black, are you back with us?' asked Señor Madrazo. '_Los Misteriosos__'_ told me you passed out when the ritual was completed.'

'Harry?' Sirius realised he was lying on a hospital bed.

'Your son is in perfect health. I've had his scar bandaged, and have confirmed the dark magic is gone.'

'My son?' Sirius felt a tingle in the back of his mind, as if magic itself was trying to replace a memory. It felt similar to the _fidelius_, but somehow different at the same time.

'Harry is in good health, that is wonderful.'

'_Si_. As we could not detect anything wrong with you, and Harry is indeed in good health, I believe we can call today an absolute success.'

'The _soul-jar_ has been completely removed then?'

'Yes, it has been... how did they put it... _sent on to its proper destination_. Harry's scar should now heal as it normally would have. Still, as we have never removed something this dark from someone so young, my advise is not to use magic to heal it, but to allow it to heal naturally.'

Sirius thanked Señor Madrazo and picked up Harry from a female Healer who had been cooing over the young child, then called for Manuel to drive them back home. While the curse had been removed from Harry's head, Sirius thought it best not to risk any injuries by taking a toddler through the floo or apparation.

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A/N: One more chapter for the 80s as it currently stands, and then we're back at Hogwarts. Sorry for the brief length of this chapter, it had to be split off from the other two as I think the ritual was perhaps the most important bit about the entire 80s section of the story.  
Together, the 1980s chapters were the most difficult ones to write so far. In my original story the _entire_ ritual and Spain bit was just a paragraph or two, but I really thought it needed to be expanded on sooner rather than later.  
Now in the rewrite I managed to bring in the above scene with James and Lily, whereas originally Sirius had the talk with Janus only, right there in the chamber.

Next chapter has some some newly written stuff coming up that I personally am proud of.

The ritual invoking Janus is of course made up. As a Christian I do not particularly wish to write about pagan gods, so I have Janus invoked here as a magical entity without going into detail on who or what he exactly is.

Whether or not he is the Roman god or simply a magical concept referred to as the same name I leave open to the interpreter.

The two Latin phrases translate to 'Hail Janus, opener of doors' and 'Hail Janus, closer of doors'. They were part of most actual rites to the god when invoking his protection over the home. More Latin I think would only be annoying so I had the rest in English, just assume they're speaking Latin during the ritual.

_After all, __Quidquid Latine dictum sit, altum videtur_.

A/N 2: changed the invocation of Janus a bit. Yes, total cop-out, but he is not Lord of Life and Death – he is Lord of boundaries.

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Story recommendation for the chapter is the _brilliant_ **Heritage** by Elizabeth Culmer. Story ID is **2182219** and it's on my fave stories list. It is one of the few Gormenghast fanfics on this site and if you like Mervyn Peake's work at all, you owe it to yourself to read this.


	7. Goblins, Politics, and More Nastiness

Disclaimer: I am rubber you are glue, Harry Potter does not belong to me or you.

**Chapter Seven**

**Goblins, Politics, and More N****astiness**

As they arrived home that evening, Sirius arranged for a representative of solicitor Howe's firm to legally register Harry as his son. Sirius found that everyone who knew about Harry somehow only registered him as Sirius' child, which he thought must be Janus' work.

This was confirmed later that week when he took Harry to the small Gringotts branch in Gibraltar. Spain's banks were run by a clan of Dwarfs operating out of the Pyrenees, officially based in the miniature state of Andorra. They held a solid monopoly over the economies of Ibera and France, and were in a bitter feud with both the British Goblins and the German and Italian Gnomes.

Sirius walked up to the only counter in the bank, 'Goblin, tell your supervisor that Sirius Black, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, has arrived to register his heir.'

'_Noble__ and Most __Ancient_' had no real meaning any longer ever since the wizarding equivalent to the House of Lords had been abolished alongside its Muggle counterpart during Cromwell's _Commonwealth of England_, and unlike the Muggles the wizards had decided not to restore it when the Muggle monarchy was restored in twenty years later. The remaining House was now simply called 'the _Wizangamot_', and served a dual purpose as the nation's high court of justice and of voting on laws proposed by its members.  
Seats were typically granted for life, by special decision of the Minister for Magic, or by holding a membership in the Order of Merlin. Only a two-thirds majority of the Wizengamot could overrule appointments by the Minister, which seldom happened.  
'Elections' for the Minister for Magic were open to anyone who was a Wizengamot member.  
The obvious result of this was that the Wizengamot was nearly fully staffed with Purebloods, the only Halfblood and Muggleborn members being the holders of the prestigious Order of Merlin or those who had performed special favours to the present or past Ministers. Interestingly enough the Wizengamot was not limited to males only, as its Muggle counterpart was when the Separation occurred. Wizards mainly cared about magical or societal power, and women and men could be equals there. There were even female Ministers for Magic centuries before Margaret Thatcher would become Muggle Britain's first Prime Minister.

The International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy would not be signed until thirty years after Cromwell, but as a direct result of the Commonwealth's mad persecution of everything that opposed the Cromwell dictatorship all contact with the Muggle side had been broken and the Minister for Magic at the time saw no need to interact with his Muggle counterpart at all.

It would not be until the time of William Pitt the Younger, when Minister for Magic Unctuous Osbert first re-established contact with the Muggle Prime Minister. By this time the wizards deemed themselves to be a separate nation who had no reason to follow Muggle laws or institutions at all. A side-effect of this was that whereas on the Muggle side the Republic of Ireland had finally won its hard-fought independence and most of the country had finally become free in 1922, the Ministry of Magic still ruled over all of the Emerald Isle.

The magical sides of the British colonies initially also fell under the Ministry, but eventually the larger dominions such as Canada and Australia had broken free from the British rule. Canada formed the _North American Magical Confederacy _along with most of the Muggle United States, and Australia and New Zealand formed the _Magical States of the Australias and Aotearoa_, also ruling over parts of Polynesia such as Hawai'i.

Only the fourteen British Overseas Territories, as the Muggles referred to them, still fell under the nominal jurisdiction of the Ministry of Magic, even if in fact they tended to be ruled over by a de facto independent governor. Gibraltar was one of these places, ruled over by Edwardus Lima, a known author and (although few knew this), a descendant of Eduardus Limette Black, a disowned distant relative of Sirius' who had taken the last name Lima when he had left for Gibraltar, eventually becoming its governor. The position had been held in the Lima family since the late 1860s.  
When Sirius had been kicked out of his ancestral home he had received not just some gold from his uncle Alphard, but also information on some of the other disinherited lines, like Marius Black's descendants and indeed the Limas. Sirius had written to Edwardus Lima before, and knew him to be sympathetic. This was one of the reasons he had chosen to leave for Gibraltar with Harry, knowing that Lima would defend him against Dumbledore if need be.

Despite all that, and there no longer being actual wizarding nobility, some families such as the Blacks still proudly held to their ancient titles and they had some status in society.  
Sirius had grown up hating the pomp and bluster but he knew when to play the Pureblood heir when it suited his purposes.  
Intimidating the foul Goblins was one of those times.

The Goblin behind the counter looked at Sirius with loathing, but told him to wait, and went to get his supervisor.

'_Wizard_,' a newly arrived Goblin said in tones as if he had just swalled something disgusting, 'you will follow me.'

Sirius, carrying Harry, followed after the diminutive creature. They were guided into an office, with a desk proclaiming this was the desk of Hodor, Chief of Inheritances, Gibraltar.

'Well?' the goblin said in annoyed tone.  
'Stop wasting my time, wizard. You have business with me?'

Sirius seated Harry on Hodor's desk, and took out his wand. Usually this was inviting death to one's self inside any Goblin bank, but he knew that for magical ceremonies there was an exemption.

'By Law and Magic I, Sirius Orion Black, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, do now declare that my son under magic, Harold Janus Black, is my one and true heir. May Magic strike me down if my words be not the truth.'

Hodor dropped his head on his hands, 'Great, just great. Couldn't you have gone to London for this Wizard? Any idea of the shit you've piled on my head?'

'Just do your job,' was Sirius' less than charitable reply, even as he picked Harry back up and gave the toddler a toy to keep him occupied.

'I take it there are no problems with my statement?'

'No, of course not. I will make sure the proper forms are followed and will have Harold registered as your legal heir. Any further business, or can you leave me alone now?'

'I also want the contents of my money vaults transferred from London to here. And Harold has a trust vault in the name of Harry James Potter waiting for him in the London office, have that changed in name to Harold Janus Black.  
'Oh, and if Albus Dumbledore has not yet returned the Potter heirloom cloak to the Potter vault, send out a Goblin recovery team. Money is not an issue.'

'Wizard, I hate your guts. May you be crushed under the buttocks of a flatulent troll.'

'May you be buried by the heavy papers of your debt statements. Toodles!'

At that, Sirius happily left the bank with Harry, now his son on both the Muggle and wizarding end. He knew that Goblins hated the wizards, but magical vows prevented them from taking up arms again. Instead, they turned their nastiness into trying to swindle wizards out of their money at every opportunity.  
One of their favourite tricks was to pretend to be amicable to naïve Muggleborn who visited their banks for the first time, to gain their trust. They then abused this trust to rob them of their gold and possessions later on.

It was a fruitful day. Sirius had Harry officially registered as his son, choosing the names Harold Janus. _Harold_ because as a son of a pure-blood house he could not have such a common first name as _Harry_, and _Janus_ of course after the being that had helped them so. Sirius felt that Janus must have been the patron god of tricksters with the huge prank played, and felt honouring the being probably couldn't hurt. That Janus was somewhat close to James was an added bonus.

Over the following weeks and later Sirius found that nobody he spoke with recognised Harry as Harry Potter, even if the most observant among them always seemed to at least be aware something was strange.

The only exception were the Goblins of Gringotts, who now had Harry listed as heir to both the Potter and Black houses. They didn't care about what society thought: magic was the determining factor for them, and magic clearly decided Harry was the son of James Potter and Sirius Black. Somehow. If any of them thought this was weird, it was never mentioned to Sirius.

To any humans, Harry was simply Harold Black, obviously the result of one of Sirius' many flings. As he had fully recognised his son as his heir, that Harry's mother was unknown was not an issue to Wizarding culture or law.  
Magic itself seemed to help keep Harry's identity as the Boy-who-lived a secret. Harold Black was magically written into the Book of Names for 1991 at Hogwarts, while Harry Potter's name had disappeared, leaving an empty spot. Since Harold Black already had a Hogwarts Trust Account set-up at Gringotts, his eventual enrolment in Hogwarts would be automatically paid for when the time came.

Over time as Harry grew up Monica was replaced with a series of other nannies, as Sirius didn't seem to wish to settle down with anyone. Monica had been expecting too much from him, and after she had left following a huge fight in which Sirius had made it clear he did not see her as a prospective girlfriend let alone more, Sirius never again slept with the staff.

The Black business 'empire' now recovered, he took a step back and began enjoying the life of a rich socialite. Any thoughts of returning to England were quelled when he finally got his hands on a number of Daily Prophets, and found that A) his name was all but mud in England, B) Albus Dumbledore in particular seemed to have a problem with Sirius, and C) the country was going insane over the Boy-who-lived, as nobody could recall who this was, only that he had somehow defeated the Dark Lord and that he would eventually be turning eleven in 1991.  
The only evidence they had of his existence was a blurry photo of a young child with a scar on his forehead, but no name other than BWL had been linked to the child by the newspaper article it had appeared in.

Sirius was perfectly content to live with Harry, making sure the little kid grew up in perfect health, and dating as many willing women as he could get away with. Keeping James and Lily's warning in mind, Sirius decided not to tell Harry about his true parentage, having decided to only do so after Harry had become a legal adult at seventeen.

In Wizarding Britain Albus Dumbledore had woken up one morning with the realisation he had no idea who the Boy-who-lived was, which was of course absurd. Had he been obliviated? But none of his employees at Hogwarts, nor the Order members, nor even the Ministry had any idea who the BWL might be. It seemed as if Magic itself was withholding the information.  
It couldn't be a _fidelius_, as it was simply impossible for even the most powerful wizard to remove information from an entire country.

It proved impossible to find out who the BWL was. He knew that the Potters and therefore Black were involved somehow, but as the Potters had died without a child (or so he believed), who exactly the BWL had been remained unclear.  
Dumbledore did remember that Sirius Black was to blame for the disappearance of the BWL, even if he could not prove this. He made sure that the attacks on the Black name would continue, even after the Death Eater trials fizzled out.

His attempts to take possession of the Potter inheritance were stymied when the Goblins informed him that these had been combined with the House of Black, as per the will of the late James Potter. And since Dumbledore was not a beneficiary he had no rights to see this. And would he want to hand over the Potter heirlooms he had taken possession of now, or should the Goblins send in a recovery squad?

It was not worth the risk of breaking the magical oath that kept the peace between Goblins and wizards by using the Wizengamot to force the Goblins to give up the will, so he reluctantly returned the Peverell cloak and James and Lily's wands, which he had had one of his pet aurors suppress from evidence, and let the matter rest.

Politically, Albus Dumbledore found his interest in slandering Black coincided with those of the 'redeemed' Lucius Malfoy, who was all too happy to slander his wife's cousin as it meant that few 'respectable' business were willing to work with the Black business empire, and instead looked to the Malfoys and their co-workers.

That this would inevitably result in the 'former' Death Eaters gaining more and more power in the economy and government was not something Dumbledore ever considered.

* * *

A/N: From last chapter: yes I know Janus is not a death god. Call it stretching his domain: as god of boundaries, and one who is tentatively linked with a proto-Germanic ur-deity, the great transitions of non-existing to living, and living to dead can in a way be said to be his. Or just allow me to use a fitting name for a being that is not supposed to be the Roman god anyway. It's not like Spanish Wizards at the tail end of the second millennium are Roman pagans so who knows who or what they think they invoke by this.

Argh! Had to split again because of the information dump, but I couldn't bear leaving it out. I already cut so much background info in previous chapters, and most of this will be important later on.  
Before the split, this chapter was running over 5000 words. One more 1980s chapter, dealing with young Harold Black in Gibraltar.

Deliberately broke some fanon conventions here with the Wizengamot etc.. Please let me know if my take on it, and the brief view of the larger Wizarding World makes sense. A little nod to movie canon here with the Limette/Lima name.

Hodor? Hodor hodor hodor.

A/N 2: I feel like shrieking like a fanboy when some of my favourite authors review, follow, or favourite my stories. Damn looking at the traffic stats is addictive.

* * *

Story recommendation for the chapter is Digifruit's **Digging My Potato**. Story ID **6705236**. This slightly manic Hermione-centric tale could use some love.


	8. The Blacks of Gibraltar

Disclaimer: I diss your claims. If you think I own Harry Potter, please send your royalty checks to me from now on.

******Chapter ********Eight**

******The Blacks of Gibraltar**

Harry grew up to be a happy boy, he had quite a number of friends in Gibraltar and was eventually enrolled in the private Loreto Convent School, doing well in all his classes.

His father tried to be very supportive and inspired Harry to do his best in everything, even if he did like to prank his son at every opportunity, and tended to embarrass Harry many times with his own rakish actions. It didn't take long before Harry began to strike back, in one memorable case managing to lock his father outside on the balcony wearing only his socks, just as a group of nuns was passing by. Despite Sirius' urging, Harry didn't seem inclined to initiate pranks, he felt it fair to strike back against anyone who targeted him first though.

The boy began showing signs of accidental magic early, but Sirius never treated it as anything beyond the ordinary. In fact he encouraged Harry in it as it mostly came out when he was caught in one of Sirius' pranks, and Harry used this to strike back a few times. Sirius just told his son that he had some _special skills_ and was not to mention them outside the house, as they were a family secret.

Sirius took the warning not to use Magic to heal Harry's scar overly _seriously_, and in fact overreacted immensely by using virtually no magic at all. After all, he had been living with little magic for a number of years now and had begun to appreciate the Muggle way of living, especially since Gibraltar had no proper wizarding quarter of its own and the nearest Spanish ones were both hours away and Spanish speaking.  
While Harry learned Spanish and the local dialect in school, Sirius was perfectly content with his English only. After all, he never needed more than his charm and the occasional flashing of his wallet to pick up willing women, the language of love was universal.

When Harry was five years old, Sirius' mother Walburga finally died. Sirius had never reestablished contact with his mother, and her death to him simply meant that one reason to not return to England was now gone. Harry wouldn't miss a grandmother he had never met or even corresponded with.  
Walburga left everything in her will to Sirius, the son who had rejoined the fold as a Pureblood bigot, or so she believed until she died.

Sirius had Mr Howe's firm pack all the magical items of Grimmauld Place into storage, except Walburga's portrait and the heads of the dead House Elves which were conveniently _lost_. Kreacher was sold to Narcissa Malfoy for a pittance, and Grimmauld Place was sold on the Muggle market.

Thus Harry grew up essentially in a Muggle household, even if there were some unexplained things his father did from time to time. Not to say Sirius abandoned magic, he simply chose not to use it when Harry was nearby, and he never got a replacement House Elf.  
Harry showed little interest in sports, and Sirius was not an athlete either. He had supported James when the Potter heir was flying as a Chaser in the Quidditch team, but Sirius had always been more interested in chasing skirts than in chasing flying balls.  
He grew to re-appreciate football with his son though, their teams being of course Gibraltar (as the home team), and Swindon Town, from back in Wiltshire England, dating back to Sirius' youth. They also watched a few Real Betis games together, from nearby Seville.

One of the main things missing from Harry's life was a stable female influence. Sirius went through girlfriends sometimes on a daily basis, and few ever got promoted to the honour of being taken home and introduced to his son. The closest was a fellow socialite around the time Harry was seven, who held out for almost half a year before she got tired of Sirius' refusal to commit.  
Sirius did try to teach his son that women were to be respected: he never cheated on his many girlfriends, and always broke up with them before moving on to another, if the relationship had survived the initial night. He was a _serial monogamist_, as he liked to joke.

'When the time comes you see that first special someone,' he told Harry one day, 'you'll feel it deep inside. Compliment her, be honest with her, and make her feel she is a goddess. If you play your cards right, she'll make you feel like a king in return.'

This left Harry wondering for a long time what card game he was to play with girls, and how to _play it right_. He felt too young to date still, as any girls he dealt with at school were either tomboys who were indistinguishable from the guys, or were prissy girls afraid to get dirty, and would not join the boys in their pick-up games of football or rough-housing.

Another thing sorely missing was the firm hand of a parent. Sirius did his best, but had never grown up himself, so acted more like Harry's older brother or fun uncle at times than as a responsible father should. Thus Harry grew up with the only curfew being one set by the various house keeper or baby sitters he had whenever Sirius was out chasing skirts, and was seldom punished for breaking rules: Sirius actually encouraged Harry to try to get away with doing so without getting caught.

When Harry was nine years old, things changed for the family. Mr Howe had written many times to Sirius that he ought to consider returning to England, as without Sirius being present himself there was little he could do to redeem the Black name.

Minister for Magic Millicent Bagnold was becoming less popular as she had signed a blank pardon for many 'former' Death Eaters to walk free, amidst rumours that she had taken heavy bribes.  
While nothing could be proven (reporters were remarkedly reluctant to investigate Bagnold after she 'donated' some money to a 'special fund'), the press finally had a new target to attack and Mr Howe felt the time was ripe for Sirius to clear his name to the public, but for that he had to once again reside in England at least temporarily.

It would soon be time for Harry to start at Hogwarts anyway, and the kid had to be introduced to magic and the Wizarding Society.

Sirius reluctantly agreed to move back if at least for a while, but before they left Sirius finally took his son to a cosmetic surgeon. A small skin transplant was all that was needed to finally remove the last remnants of the curse scar, and with it the most damning evidence that Harry was the Boy-who-lived.

Harry had grown out his hair a little, which seemed to tame the worst of the wild hair, although he probably always would have a wild mop. Sirius showed him the trick to make it look just a bit wind-swept and styled – '_the girls will love it son'_ – and the animagus had gotten his son used to contact lenses the previous year to replace the rather dorky (Sirius' word for them, which eventually convinced Harry to agree) glasses.

And so, after school closed for the summer, Harry and Sirius moved back to England. Sirius had rented a free standing house in the magical village of Salazar's Landing, and introduced Harry officially to magic for the first time, treating it as a huge prank. His dog form was especially convincing, even the best trickery could not explain _that_. Harry was shocked at first, then annoyed at his father, then more-or-less pleased that he finally had a good name for his 'special skills'.

Sirius arranged for a series of tutors to bring his son back up to speed about what he disdainfully called '_pure-bred culture_', all too aware that he had grown up mostly clueless about the outside world until the Potters, and later Lily Evans, took pity on him. He did not want the reserve for his son.  
Harry was introduced to classes on Wizarding Society, with Sirius' cousin Narcissa Malfoy willing to teach him. Harry's familiarity with Spanish helped him pick up the Wizarding dialect of Latin rather quickly, as it had many things in common with modern Spanish.  
With his Muggle education now essentially ended, Harry was happy to get new intellectual challenges to hold him over until he could go to Hogwarts, the Wizarding school his father had told him about.

Ever the opportunist, Lucius Malfoy quickly became a close 'friend' of Sirius when he found that Sirius could introduce him to business contacts and was building a base of power in Gibraltar, which was an important holding in Iberia as it was the only place Goblins could freely operate. Sirius was all too willing to do Lucius some favours in exchange for some in return.  
The never too close alliance between Malfoy and Dumbledore, which had fully been based around badmouthing Black, was broken in a second.

Harry liked his tutor Narcissa, but was less than pleased with being introduced to the rest of his father's family, as this mostly seemed to consist of the Malfoys. Draco was a spoilt bully, and Harry hated it when the families came together.

'I'm sorry you have to deal with Draco again kiddo,' Sirius took him aside one day.  
'I don't like him or his father any more than you do, but Lucy Malfoy is one of the most powerful men in the country right now and I need his support if I want to make sure you have a good time going to school here next year.  
He is one of the few people capable of standing up to a certain manipulative old man, and he can help me get a seat in the government.  
Your aunt Narcissa isn't all that bad, right?'

Harry didn't like it, but could accept the situation.

One unfortunate result of Sirius' public cozening up to the Malfoys was that it strengthened the public view that Black was Dark, and Sirius' other cousin Andromeda Tonks refused to speak with him. So too did his former colleagues in the Order of the Phoenix, among them a man Sirius had always hoped would still see him as a friend, Remus Lupin. But Lupin was still convinced Sirius was a traitor, who had benefited from Bagnold's corruption, and Dumbledore told the Order that Sirius had indeed turned Dark, and they were not to trust him.

The attacks in the press on the Black name finally did stop, especially after Sirius Black donated a generous amount to new Minister for Magic Cornelius Oswald Fudge's election campaign. As thanks he was granted the Wizengamot seat he was hoping for when Fudge became minister, and politically Sirius aligned himself to the neutral conservatives, rather than joining Dumbledore's faction.

With help from Edwardus Lima in Gibraltar, who had become a close friend and political ally of Sirius, they convinced Fudge's contacts in the ICW to covertly investigate Dumbledore's actions in 1981. While nothing could be proven, this close look at the Headmaster brought up enough questions that his reputation internationally suffered. His rule over Hogwarts was also brought into question, and ICW investigors from the Education Board, with support from the Fudge Ministry, insisted on some changes in the curriculum.  
Dumbledore soon found out that Sirius was involved in all of this. This convinced him the Black Marauder had fallen to the Dark and was untrustworthy.

Sirius asked after Pettigrew of course, and was dismayed to hear that the rat had been legally declared dead a few years ago. He didn't think to ask after the arrest report, and thus didn't learn that Pettigrew's name had been cleared long ago.

He finally took Harry to the graveyard in Godric's Hollow in October of 1990. Despite the assurances he believed he had gotten during the cleansing ritual years before, Sirius had lingering guilt that he had stolen James and Lily's child somehow, and could not bring himself to face their graves before.

'The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death,' Harry read on the tomb stone. 'What does that mean dad?'

'It was one of Lily's favourite quotes, from the _First Epistle to the Corinthians_, in the Holy Bible.'

_'But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept._  
_'For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead._  
_'For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive._  
_'But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming._  
_'Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power._  
_'For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet._  
_'The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.'_

'James and Lily were great people, and you should have grown up knowing them...' Sirius' voice died away in tears.

He had often felt troubled keeping Harry's true name secret even from Harry himself, so he reaffirmed his vow to tell his son the truth when he turned seventeen.

The next summer Harry's Hogwarts letter came as expected, fortunately in the name of Harold Janus Black. This confirmed to Sirius the theory that the Book of Names at Hogwarts was magically written, as Harry's name would not have been updated otherwise. Sirius took him shopping for his school supplies and the wand.

'Fir, with a dragon heart-string core. A wand suited for survivors, demanding a lot of power... power I feel you have in spades young Mr Black,' the creepy old man at Ollivanders had said.

A certain holly wand with phoenix feather core was not even tested, that part of Harry it might have corresponded to was lost to wherever Janus had taken it. Besides, Ollivander had been told by Dumbledore that this was to be reserved for the Boy-who-lived, whoever that may be.

Dumbledore was still certain that the BWL would show up somehow: it was inconceivable that a British Wizard would turn down an invitation to Hogwarts, the elite among the schools.

As a special treat Sirius bought Harry a snowy owl as a pet, who Harry named 'Hedwig' after one of the witches he head learned about in his tutoring. He initially wanted to get Harry a dog, but dogs were not allowed at Hogwarts, and Harry absolutely refused to attempt to smuggle one in. Besides, he somehow made a connection to the snowy owl the moment they had laid eyes on each other.

During the next month Harry studied from his school books, with advice from his dad. Sirius showed him some of the initial wand movements and tricks he knew of to make it easier to cast spells or brew certain potions, even if he didn't allow Harry to cast a single spell yet. With all the bad press of the past few years he didn't want to waste his new found credit with the Minister to get his son out of a warning for under-age magic.

As a late birthday present, Harry was given a hand mirror.

'Dad, did you forget I was male? I don't know what you get up to whenever I'm not around, but I definitely don't wear make-up.'

'Cheeky brat,' Sirius ruffled his son's hair.

'These mirrors are special, I invented them together with my best friends back in the school days. If you ever want to talk to me, just pick up the mirror and say my name.'

Harry promised to take always have the mirror nearby.

'Harry,' Sirius carefully began, 'you'll need to watch yourself at Hogwarts. Headmaster Dumbledore is a good man at heart, but he believes he is the alpha and omega when it comes to knowledge and for that reason cannot be trusted to have everyone's best interest in mind.  
'He is one of the reasons you and I have not returned to England sooner. I don't see any reason why he should give you special treatment, but always remember that he is just your Headmaster, and that in the end he has to follow the same rules as the rest of us. If there is any problem with the Headmaster or one of the teachers I want you to contact me immediately, all right?'

Harry nodded he understood, and hugged his father.

Early that September first Sirius took Harry to a restaurant for a special breakfast, once again affirmed how proud he was of his son. Sirius would be returning to Gibraltar, letting the lease on their English home expire. He was being groomed by Lima to perhaps be his successor, as Lima had no surviving children. With Fudge clearly on his side, chances were very good Sirius could get the appointment when the elderly Lima finally decided to retire.  
The original Lima heir, Alphardo, had gone to Hogwarts but had elected to stay behind in England to further his education, and had been killed in a Death Eater raid in 1976.  
Rather than have the hereditary position of Governor pass into a new family, Lima felt it preferable for the position to pass back to the main line of the Black family with Sirius. He saw the potential in Sirius to grow up and become a good ruler, even if the man was not all there yet.

Sirius promised that Harry would get picked up at Christmas, and transport back home to Gibraltar would be arranged. Harry was excited about the thought of returning to what he still felt was his home 'country', England was just not the same with its lousy weather and stuck-up culture.

And then the pranking git dropped his son off at the MUGGLE entrance of King's Cross.

'There you are son, just ask some cute girl for the way. Maybe she has some make-up tips for you!'

Harry loved his dad, but his caretaker really took his pranks too far sometimes. As he was walking to the area between platforms nine and ten, he could still hear Sirius' laughter until it was drowned out by the roar of his motorcycle.

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A/N: With all the splitting and expanding, my chapter numbering is completely messed up now. This was still part of chapter four when I began writing it, and now it's ended up as number eight. It's a miracle I haven't posted the wrong document in sequence yet.

And so we finally arrive where chapter one began. Hope this gives a good glimpse of Harry's life in Gibraltar.  
The adoption was a magical one, biologically he still is very much the son of James and Lily. But unlike the canon Harry Potter, Harry Black has not been starved and thus is not underweight or very short, and he is not used to wearing glasses. Neither does he have the disfiguring scar that is one of HP's most prominent features.

He didn't have a perfect childhood, but definitely grew up happy. Harry Black is not the cowed short child that canon!Harry Potter is, which will come out in future chapters.

Harry does not have the Holly and Phoenix feather wand that was a twin to the Dark Lord. That wand was almost certainly matched to the horcrux, not Harry, so he gets one that fits his personality much better. Wand stuff from Pottermore.

**Actor depictions vs the Book characters**:

I have my own views of what the principal actors look like.  
As Sirius Black is also black-haired and I think the film and illustration portrayals of Sirius Black and James Potter we've seen have some resemblances, it makes it easy for people to see a family resemblance between Sirius and Harry even when biologically there is none. Certainly in this story, Sirius and James looked a bit alike.

The movies have a wonderful casting, but for some characters I really have my objections.

Harry is not Daniel Radcliffe. For one, the eye colour is wrong, secondly, Harry has wild, unmanageable hair.  
Hermione is not Emma Watson. She is not super model hot: she is a bit of a mousy girl, with an _authentic_ girl-next-door charm.  
Ron is not Rupert Grint. Ron has freckles.  
Draco is not Tom Felton. Draco is not a blonde adonis. I picture him as a rather ratty kid.  
Dolores Umbridge is not Imelda Staunton. Mary GrandPré's art of her in the US books is much closer to what I think Umbridge looks like (even if I do not agree with all her depictions of characters).  
Luna _is_ Evanna Lynch on the other hand.

Wait, wasn't this a Hogwarts story at some point?

A/N 2: Thanks to Paladeus for pointing out an error with Fudge's name. I accidentally a word and dropped his first name. That's the risk of working unbeta'd.

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Story recommendation for the chapter is ga1661's only story to date, **The Curse That Killed Thousands**. Story ID is **4973167**. It's a nice Harmony tale that begins and ends tragically, but I'd still say it has a happier end than canon with the (yuck!) Epilogue.


	9. Sorting things out

Disclaimer: I don't _want_ the rights to Harry Potter, unless I can leave out the sixth and seventh book.

**Chapter Nine**

**Sorting things out**

Hannah Abbot had just been sorted as the first student in the year, when the next name was called, 'Black, Harold Janus!'

Harry gulped, and stepped forward only when Hermione gently gave him a push.

'Good luck,' she whispered. As he stepped forward, he heard some whispers and hisses from the Hall.

'_Black_, did you hear?'

'Wonder if he's related to You-know-who's chief lieutenant?'

The black-haired boy tried to ignore the whispers, sat down on the stool, and pulled the Hat over his head. The boy felt lost under the Hat, it dropped well over his face and even covered his bright green eyes from view. Next thing, he heard a small voice in his ear.

'Hmm, difficult. Rather difficult. Plenty of courage, a good appreciation of hard work, oh my! What a wonderful intellect, always a pleasure to see that. And you want to make your– father? Interesting story there... You want to make your _father_ proud I see. So where should I place you?'

Harry wondered what the interesting story about his father was, as he gripped the edges of the stool and thought, 'Put me where I can make friends and belong.'

'You want to belong is it? Well Slytherin would make you _great_, but you will not make many friends there... and you will not feel at ease in Gryffindor either. Too many people would ruin you there. Hufflepuff maybe? No... you will make friends there, but need to be challenged more than that. You are a true RAVENCLAW!'

Harry heard that last word being shouted to the whole Hall. He took off the Hat, and walked slowly to the blue and bronze table. As he was being greeted by an older student sitting to his right, Robert Hilliard, Harry realised the Sorting had been continuing as he was joined at the table by Boot, Terry; Brocklehurst, Mandy; Cornfoot, Stephen Christopher – call me Steve; Corner, Michael – don't call me Mike; Entwhistle, Kevin – alright there Steve, Harry?; and then finally his friend was coming up: 'Granger, Hermione Jane!'

Hermione was biting her upper lip as she stumbled forward, looking very lost under the large Hat. Harry saw her mouthing words silently as the Hat was debating where to sort her, but after a nerve-racking few minutes the hat shouted out 'RAVENCLAW!', much to Harry's relief.

'Kevin, budge over would you?' he asked of his new yearmate, and Hermione gratefully took the seat on Harry's left Kevin had just vacated. Her hand found Harry's as they watched the rest of the sorting.

'Longbottom, Neville Francis' was sorted into 'GRYFFINDOR!' much to the surprise of Harry, Hermione, and apparently Neville himself. The round-faced boy walked off towards the right-most table still wearing the Hat, and had to sheepishly return it to Professor McGonagall amidst jeers and laughter.

A while later 'Malfoy, Draco Lucius,' was called. The Hat barely touched the platinum blond hair before shouting out, 'SLYTHERIN!'

'I bet it was afraid to get grease all over itself from the slicky git,' Harry whispered to Hermione, getting a huffed '_Honestly _Harry' as well as a giggle in return.

'Perks, Sally-Anne' had just been sorted into Hufflepuff, and then Professor McGonagall reached a blank spot on the roll. As per Professor Dumbledore's instructions given before the Sorting had started, she called out another _name_.

'The-Boy-Who-Lived!'

A silence fell over the entire Hall, as necks were creened at the few students still waiting to be sorted. Nobody seemed to wish to respond to the name, and murmurs grew up.

'He didn't come after all,' a Ravenclaw said.

'Not that fairy tale again,' was a Slytherin's remark. 'As if the Dark Lord could have been defeated by a baby. It was the Potters that did him in, not some magical super child.'

'I bet _Black_ killed him,' came from the Hufflepuff table. Harry shot the boy saying this an angry look, he knew his father had a bad reputation but never imagined it was _this_ bad. Wayne Hopkins, he recalled from the Sorting, was the boy's name.

After a good few minutes of unrest, Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore, who nodded with a look of defeat, and the Sorting continued with 'Runcorn, Leanne!' – another Hufflepuff.

The sorting was almost over by the time 'Weasley, Ronald Billius' was called.

'Billius?' Harry whispered to Hermione in an amused tone.

'Yes, _Janus_,' was Hermione's slightly teasing reply.

'Oi, you're Jane and Janus!' exclaimed Steve Cornfoot, who was sitting across from the duo.

Any reply they might have had was stilled by the loud shout of 'GRYFFINDOR!' by the Hat. Ron took his seat at the lion table, where it looked like he had some family sitting already – probably his brothers, Harry thought.

'Zabini, Blaise Durante' was the last student to be called, and he joined the crowd at the 'SLYTHERIN!' table.

Harry looked back at the table his 'cousin' had been sorted at, and thought to himself they were a rather unpleasant lot in general. He was happy to be at the Ravenclaw table instead. A few seats down, he overheard some upper years silently discuss magical theory, and one girl actually seemed to working on an essay right there. Harry was wondering where the food was. His stomach had been reminding him he had not eaten since the sandwiches on the train.

Albus Dumbledore stood up. He was wearing impossibly mismatched dark purple robes, with green and pink stripes and stars all over.

'Welcome!' he said. 'Welcome, or Welcome Back, to Hogwarts! Before we begin our feast, I would like to say a few words: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

'Enjoy your year!'

He sat back down. Most students were cheering and clapping, but Harry didn't know how to respond.

'Is he... is he always like that?' he asked Hilliard.

'Jury's still out on that Harry,' the older boy replied. 'We have a bet going in the House that the Headmaster has some meaning with the words, but thus far we haven't figured out the pattern, if any exists. Potatoes?'

Harry heard Hermione gasp on his other side, and turned back to the table. It was suddenly filled with dishes with foods of all kinds.  
Sirius had of course never let Harry grow hungry, but mealtimes were seldom shared in the Black household either in Gibraltar or England. Usually they ordered out, or went to a restaurant.  
Even at the buffets he had frequented, Harry had never seen so much food in one place. He let go of Hermione's hand, began filling his plate, and began eating. It all looked delicious.

As they were eating, the firsties were talking about their families. Harry learned that Anthony Goldstein, Lisa Turpin, Mandy Brocklehurst, Michael Corner, and Su Li were Half-bloods: they had one wizarding, and one Muggle or Muggleborn parent. Hermione and a boy named Kevin Entwhistle were the only Muggleborn students in their year, as Morag MacDougall, Padma Patil – who apparently had an identical _in looks only_ twin in Gryffindor –, Steve Cornfoot, and Terry Boot were considered Pure-blood.

'I don't rightly know,' Harry had to admit.  
'Dad is a pure-blood wizard I know, but we don't talk about who my mum was,' a slightly sad tone crept in.

Hermione padded the top of Harry's hand in comfort.

'Well good thing you're not with the snakes then Harry,' Steve replied.  
'_That lot_ cares a lot about Blood Status, for us it's all the same if you're Pure, Half, or New.'

That comment gave him a lot of smiles from the Muggleborn and Half-blood students, especially as it was affirmed by the older students sitting nearby.

'Just make sure you keep your grades up,' Hilliard told the youngsters.  
'While we haven't been able to win the House Cup in years since the Lions or Snakes somehow tend to amass huge points in Quidditch or by weird stunts, we have usually been able to secure at least the second spot.  
'Take pride in your House and we will support you, bring shame on us and we'll need to have a House Discussion.'

With those rather ominous words apparently the topic was over, and Hilliard went back to his own food and friends.

'I _do_ hope classes start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, it was amazing seeing Professor Babbling turn mother's coffee table into a Yorkshire terrier, of course our books say we'll start with matches into needles and –' Hermione was talking a mile a minute to Harry, Steve, and really anyone else who had the misfortune of catching her attention between bites.

Harry looked at the High Table with the professors. Hagrid had joined the table at some point, and was eating a whole leg of lamb off the bone. Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore were talking, a sickly looking frail man wearing an absurd turban was scanning the crowd of students as if looking for someone – Harry felt his gaze pass him by and shuddered involuntarily as it felt slimy somehow –, and next to him was sitting a greasy black haired man with a hooked nose, and sallow skin. When Harry caught his eye he saw a look of such loathing and hatred he nearly choked on his drink, and this drew the attention of the rest of his table.

'What is it Harry?' asked Hilliard.

'No-nothing, it just went down the wrong pipe.'

Harry was wondering what he might have done to earn a look of such hatred from someone he had never met.

'Robert, who is that Professor with the greasy hair talking to the turban man?'

'Greasy? Careful there Harry, don't let him hear you say that. That's Professor Snape. He _teaches_ – snort – Potions, but everyone knows he really wants to teach Defense against the Dark Arts instead. He's a lousy teacher to be honest, and you really don't want to end up on his bad side.  
'We, that is us upper years, tutor the younger 'claws in Potions and History as they are the weakest classes here at Hogwarts. My mother is in the Ministry and has been trying to get the teachers in those subjects replaced for years, but Hogwarts bylaws state that only the Headmaster can hire or fire teachers. Just let me or another prefect know if you run into any problems with those two classes, and we'll help you out all right?'

Harry carefully watched Snape a while longer, but the professor did not seem to want to catch Harry's eye again. At last, the puddings disappeared and Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet again. The Hall fell silent.

'Now that we are all fed and watered and ready for bed, I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.  
'First years should know that the Forbidden Forest is off-limits to all students. This warning also applies to certain older students.'

His twinkling eyes flashed at two red-haired twins sitting at the Gryffindor table.

'Our caretaker Mr Filch has requested me to tell you all that there is to be no magic used in the corridors between classes, and that the list of prohibited items is hanging both at the door to his office and near the entrance to the Great Hall.  
'Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Contact Madam Hooch or your House captain if you are interested in playing.  
'The Gobstones Club will be meeting weekly on Sunday in their Club Room on the second floor. Anyone interested in competing is welcomed to sign up at their earliest convenience. We are proud to have won the British Gobstones Inter-school Competition for four years in a row now and are looking forward to new talent to keep the trophy where it belongs.'

'Too right!' came a shout from the Hufflepuff table, amidst laughter.

'And finally,' Dumbledore continued, 'This year the right-hand side of the third-floor corridor is out of bounds for anyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.'

Harry could not believe his ears.

'Did he just say what I think he did?' he asked Hermione. She nodded, looking frightened.

'I'm afraid he looks to be serious,' said Hilliard. 'It's odd, as he usually informs the Prefects of the reasons why something is off-limits – the forest has dangerous Beasts in it, the loch can be dangerous at night, everyone knows that. But I haven't heard anything about the third floor.'

'And now, let us all sing the school song!' yelled Dumbledore.

He must have noticed that the student body was now in a very down mood. Somehow Harry didn't think the song was promising to improve on this, as most older students and some teachers looked even more miserable.

Dumbledore flicked his wand, making a ribbon with the text appear over the High Table.

'Pick your favourite tune, and SING!' he cried.

What followed was a cacophony of sound, with most students bleating out the school song to discordant melodies. Everyone finished at a different time, the last being the two red-haired twins at the Gryffindor table, who had chosen a slow funeral march as their melody.

'Now off to bed after that wonderful music,' Dumbledore told the students. He was not being sarcastic in the least.

Hilliard stood up, joined by his year mate Penelope Clearwater, who was also wearing a Prefect's badge.

'First-years, follow us!'

Harry helped Hermione stand up, taking her hand as came naturally. The duo followed the Prefects past the main stairwell, and down several corridors before arriving at a large, circular staircase at the foot of a tower.

'Up we go everyone, follow Penny,' Hilliard told the twelve students in his care, following after the last of them.

At the top of the staircase was another corridor, which ended at a door with a bronze, eagle-shaped knocker. There were windows nearby overlooking the castle's courtyard.

'Poor people have it. Rich people need it. If you eat it, you die. What is it?' asked the eagle on the knocker, after Penelope knocked once.

'Anyone want to give it a go?' she asked the youngsters. After a minute to think, Hermione piped up:

'_Nothing_. Nothing is the answer'.

'Indeed,' the eagle responded, and the door opened by itself.

The first years were bustled inside by Clearwater and Hilliard, finding themselves in a large roughly square room with circular corners, decorated in blue and bronze. One wall held a large and cozy looking fireplace, with comfortable couches and seats near it. The other walls were lined with book cases holding hundreds of tomes and scrolls. The room held several comfortable looking work tables, and some of the older students were already working on homework or essays. On both the left and right wall a staircase led up to the higher floors.

'Boys on the right, girls on the left,' said Hilliard.  
'You will need to go to the third story, and will find your belongings there. Off to bed with you all, we'll be having a house meeting at seven thirty in the morning here in the Common Room.'

Harry hugged Hermione good night, reluctantly letting go of her, and went to the third floor with the other five boys. After going through another door they found a nicely decorated room with six four-posters hung with bronze-coloured curtains. Their trunks were at the foot of their beds. Too tired to talk much to his yearmates, Harry muttered a 'gnite' and went to bed.

On the other side of the tower, Hermione found much the same waiting for her. As she was preparing for bed, Mandy, Lisa, Padma, Su Li, and Morag were looking at her expectantly.

'Fess up Hermione, is he your boyfriend?' Morag threw out.

'Boyf–' spluttered the young witch. 'Who? What? When?'

'Harry and you,' Padma said. 'You've been holding hands since the train at least!'

'Awww', cood Morag and Mandy.

'Such a gentleman,' said Lisa.

'He's no such thing! We– we're just friends, that's all. I mean Harry is a really nice boy and all and oh god does he look good with his long hair and I do like his scent and –' Hermione clasped her hands to her mouth as a full body blush came creeping up.

'Don't worry Hermione,' Lisa said. 'We won't tease you, I'm just jealous.'

'His father is a hottie too,' giggled Morag. 'We met at a party at the Malfoys once.'

Despite Hermione's best attempts to change the subject, the girls were talking about the '_true love scandal_' between Harold Black, the dazzling son of the mysterious and dangerous Sirius Black, and Hermione Granger, the rather plain peasant girl – 'Oi!' – all night until they fell asleep.

* * *

A/N: You get this chapter a little earlier than intended as thanks. I had over 500 unique visitors to chapter 8 in two days. Wow :)

Thank God finally we're back at Hogwarts chapters. Now the story can begin to go somewhere. The Sorting is not that different, but I needed to show Harry's impressions of the Professors and his class mates.  
Tomorrow is Monday the second of September, start of classes.

Never having been a teen girl, I have no idea if the gossip is believable, but hopefully I did an acceptable job here. The nice thing about Sorting Harry elsewhere is that I can basically make the yearmates do whatever I want to without creating a load of OCs or having canon characters act OOC, as so little is known about the other students in canon. For all you know my Su Li is actually a yuki-onna, and Steve Cornfoot is nuts about American baseball. Or not, time will tell ;)

I sort of screwed myself over with using Harry's middle name in chapter 3, so I had to make up some middle names for other students here, ah well.

To those interested in who is in which house, look at my profile and place Harry and Hermione among the Ravenclaws. All other students were sorted according to the list there and thus as per canon. In my tale there are only six students in Gryffindor, ten Hufflepuffs, a whopping twelve Ravenclaws, and nine Slytherins, thirty-seven total.

Robert Hilliard is from Pottermore. I had first wanted to use Duncan Inglebee for the role, but since JKR did state the Ravenclaw was amale prefect this year, I might as well use him.

A/N 2: I try to answer all my reviews. Please don't submit anonymous reviews asking questions as I cannot respond to them.

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Story for the chapter is Lady Foxfire's **The Hen That Laid the Golden Eggs**, story ID **7647815**. A very plausible take on the Wizarding World's last demand of Harry Potter, the Man-who-Won.


	10. Classes and Rivalries

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

**Chapter Ten**

**Classes and Rivalries**

Harry woke groggily as a chirpy voice spoke.

'Time to wake up! It is a bright new day! Time to wake up! It is a bright –'

_Slam!_, went Steve Cornfoot's fist on a box next to his bed.

'Morning lads,' he yawned at the five other boys as he stood up. 'Hope you don't mind me setting an alarm charm last night, we've that – _yawn_ – meeting in 30 minutes.'

Steve made his way to the adjoining bathroom for his morning ablutions, and Harry followed after he had come more awake. It was all real – he was actually at Hogwarts, and classes would be starting!

Around seven twenty, Harry had washed up, dressed into his uniform complete with bronze-and-blue tie, put on the rather bulky robes, and made his way downstairs to the Ravenclaw Common Room. Seeing that none of his room mates were wearing the wizarding cap, he opted to do the same. Apparently that cap was optional, or preserved for special occasions such as the Opening Feast only.

Hermione was already downstairs, animatedly chatting with the other first-year girls. When Harry caught her eye, she began blushing. '_Girls are weird_,' Harry thought.

'Morning runts,' spoke Hilliard, who had been waiting for the last two boys, Michael and Kevin, to arrive. 'Our Head of House, Professor Flitwick, should be here shortly. After that Penny and I'll show you the way to the Great Hall for breakfast.'

'Thank you Mr Hilliard,' spoke up a little man. Harry recognised him from the High Table at the feast yesterday. Professor Flitwick was less than four feet short, and was wearing a sharp Muggle suit complete with bow tie. He had neatly trimmed brown hair, and a sharp moustache.

'Welcome my young Ravenclaws!', he happily exclaimed. The firsties took seats in the sitting corner near the fireplace, and the Professor stepped on a low table in front of them to better address them.  
'I am very pleased to see so many new young bright students in my House.  
'The House of Ravenclaw has a reputation of being studious, and I expect you all to do your best. Starting next week, the fourth- and sixth-years will be providing homework help to the younger years after dinner every day, and I encourage you form study groups among yourselves for your free periods. You can either study at one of the tables here, or in the library under the care of Madam Pince. Unless you wish to be banned from there, I recommend you take good care of your books,' he chuckled slightly.

'I do not expect any of you to get any House Points losses or detentions of course, but should you feel a teacher has treated you unfairly, please come to my office and I'll see what I can do for my Ravens. My office hours are daily after dinner, except on Wednesdays.  
'Now, here are your class schedules,' he handed the first-years a peace of parchment with a neatly written block of periods and classes on it, 'and then you'd best get your History and Transfigurations books, as I think Mr Hilliard and Ms Clearwater wish to escort you to breakfast. Any questions can wait until breakfast,' he pre-empted the raised hands of several students, including Hermione's. And at that he left.

'Five minutes, then we're leaving for breakfast,' said Penelope Clearwater.

The kids scrambled back upstairs, and grabbed their book bags, books, parchments, and spare quills and ink, then rushed back downstairs.

Clearwater and Hilliard led them back down the circular stairwell down the tower, and then through a series of corridors, until they neared the Great Hall. Harry and Hermione were walking hand in hand, both making note of the route and mentally trying to draw a map. Hogwarts was a confusing place, with no directions anywhere on its walls, so they had to rely on features such as placement of windows, tapestries, and portraits to find their way around.  
That many of these portraits were animated and its inhabitants liked to step out of their frames to visit their neighbours definitely did not help.

In short while they heard the din of many talking students, and they had arrived in the Great Hall.

'Oi you love birds, we've reserved two spots for you here,' said Steve with a teasing tone.

'We're just friends,' muttered an embarrassed Harry. He did not let go of Hermione's hand until he helped her to her seat, though.

Breakfast was tolerable. The food was again great, but the only thing to drink appeared to be pumpkin juice. Hermione kept chattering on about how great it would be to start classes and what they would learn, to anyone interested – and everyone else. Learning to tune her out would be one of the first things Harry did, he promised.

Their first class was History of Magic, which was taught by an actual ghost. Professor Binns didn't even wait for them all to get seated, and simply started lecturing as the clock stroke nine. It was a combined class with the Slytherins, who took the left side of the room. Professor Binns was droning on about Goblin rebellions in a tone so monotone that Harry had to fight not to fall asleep, as he took notes. Most other Ravenclaws also struggled to stay awake.

All nine Slytherin students didn't make it through the period, and were catching up on a beauty sleep before the hour ended.

'_That pug-nosed chochi really could use as many beauty sleeps as she can get_,' thought Harry. The girl, Pansy something, had been shooting him mean looks at the sorting yesterday.

Professor Binns assigned them all to write an essay on the leaders of the rebellion he had been lecturing on, three feet on parchment.

The Ravens had a free period next, and the twelve all decided to check out the library and get started on their first homework.  
The librarian, who they knew to be Madam Pince from Flitwick earlier that morning, forced them to line up before she allowed them to enter and inspected them for any food items. Kevin had a bread roll with him and he was not allowed to enter the library before he ate it, and had gone to a nearby bathroom to wash his hands.  
The 'Claws split up into two groups, and Harry and Hermione found themselves joined at a table by Steve, Michael, Morag, and Mandy.

'Right then,' Steve said as they sat down. 'Are you all familiar with writing using a quill on parchement?'

'What do you mean?'

'It's not as easy as using a crown pen, as the quill tends to dry out if you're not careful. You also want to be careful of not getting smudges on your parchment – or sleeve – as the ink doesn't dry immediately.  
'There's a handy spell you can use for it, incantation is _siccescat_ and you just point the wand at the parchment like this,' he wrote down his name on top of an empty peace of parchment and cast the spell. 'You try it.'

Hermione was bubbling with excitement about learning her first spell. It had been a bit of a let down that her first class was not something flashy, but this to her more than made up for it.

Michael and Morag seemed to already know the spell, and helped Steve correct the pronunciation of the other three. Harry had never used parchment before in his life, both his Muggle school and his later tutors had sensibly used paper and modern pens instead. Mandy and Hermione were not familiar with it either.  
Before long they had all mastered the spell, and started working on their essays.

'No Harry, that is wrong,' said Hermione as she was looking over at Harry's paper. 'Professor Binns _clearly_ said that the Goblins were lead by Snarl_fang_, not Snarl_tooth_. You also misspelled _slaughter_ there,' she prodded her quill at the offending word.

Harry grumbled something which could by an optimist be interpreted as 'thanks I guess,' which apparently was enough to please the bushy haired witch.

'_I have to talk to her about her nagging_,' Harry thought as he continued writing.

Then a soft bell rang from somewhere. The kids looked up, wondering what it meant.

'That's the warning bell,' said an older Gryffindor student who was picking up his things. 'Fifteen minutes to get to the next class.'

The twelve Ravenclaws scrambled to dry their parchments, put away their inkwells, quills, and books, and hurried into the hallway. Madam Pince shot them a dirty look for making noise, but they were hardly the only group leaving the library.

'And where exactly is the Transfiguration classroom?' asked Terry of the others.

'How should I know?' Steve replied. 'Oi, longshanks!' he yelled at the Gryffindor who had warned them earlier. 'Where is the Transfiguration classroom?'

'Up two stairs and then to your left, and you'd better hurry you midgets,' was the slightly amused reply as the student rushed off to his own class.

The group barely made it in time for classes to start, finding several Gryffindors already there. Harry and Hermione shared a desk near the front, and waited for the bell to signal the start of class.  
Professor McGonagall was not present, although a mackerel tabby cat was sitting statefully on top of the teacher's desk.  
The bell rang, and Professor McGonagall was still not to be seen. Deciding to just get his materials ready, Harry took out his book and writing materials. The other Ravenclaws did the same.  
The Gryffindors on the other hand were talking among themselves.

After another three minutes the door slammed open, and an exhausted Ronald Weasley and Neville Longbottom came running in.

'Old McGonagall isn't here yet then?' exhaled Ron, 'Man that is a stroke of luck innit Nev? She's right scary, she is.'

The cat jumped down, and walked to the duo. As it passed the middle of the class, it morphed into the shape of Professor McGonagall.

'That's bloody brilliant that is!' yelled Ron, just as Professor McGonagall reached the duo and grabbed them by their ears.

'_Thank you_ for that honest assessment Mr Weasley,' she said as she forced the two behind an empty desk, 'you two can write up two feet on the importance of being on time tonight in detention. Be in your common room by six and I will come collect you.'

Ignoring the splutters of protest from the two boys, she went back to her desk.

'That, class, was the animagus transformation. We will discuss the theory in third year... if you are still in this class by then.  
'Transfiguration is the most dangerous and complex magic you will be learning here at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will depart and not be allowed to return, you have been warned.'

His initial assessment that she was not one to be crossed was right, Harry decided.

Professor McGonagall gave an overview of the various kinds of wand movements used in Transfiguration, but to the students' disappointment they were not allowed to perform any spells. That would be reserved for tomorrow's double lesson, the Professor explained.  
As the bell for lunch rang they were sent off with another essay assignment, on the wand movements she had shown them.

Lunch passed, and the Ravens went down to the greenhouses for their first Herbology class.  
The Herbology teacher was a rotund little witch called Professor Sprout, and she told them they were to carefully inspect and draw one of the plants she lead them to.  
This was another class they shared with the Slytherins. Professor Sprout was at the other end of the greenhouse, helping the Slytherin Daphne Greengrass with something. Harry and Hermione were drawing the intricate leaves of the plant, when they were suddenly splattered by dirty mud from behind.

'Here's some more mud for you, Mudblood lover!' said the obnoxious voice of Draco Malfoy.

Harry turned around, murder in his eyes. Hermione was frozen in shock, both she and Harry had mud all over their backs and in their hair.

'You lousy son of a _Death Eater_!' yelled Harry, and he threw a punch at the blond git, connecting with his nose, which broke with an audible _snap_. Hermione let out a loud gasp, and looked in horror at the blood, and the sudden outburst of violence.

'MISTER BLACK!', yelled Professor Sprout, as she grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him away from the bleeding and whimpering Malfoy. 'Never in all my years I've –' she glared at the boy, as Malfoy was being attended to by a sycophantic Slutherin girl with a pug-nosed face.

'Ten – no FIFTY House Points from Ravenclaw, and DETENTION with Mr Filch this night!' was Professor Sprouts verdict when she saw Malfoy was in pain.

'Ms Parkinson, Mr Goyle, please escort Mr Malfoy the hospital wing. Mr Black, pack your bag. You have an appointment with Professor Flitwick.'

'But Professor,' began Hermione in a shaky voice, 'Malfoy started it, he –'

'Ms Granger, I can understand you're standing up for your boyfriend but if I want your opinion I'll ask for it!' the angry Professor shut the young witch down.  
'All of you, pack your things! Class is over!'

She began to march Harry out of the Greenhouse, and back to the castle.  
Hermione was crying slightly, not only was Harry fighting again, but she had never been spoken to in such a manner by a teacher before.

'There there Hermione,' Morag patted her on the back.  
'Harry will be okay. I am sure Professor Sprout will calm down, and Professor Flitwick will listen to him.'

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A/N: Thus Harry's ends first day of classes.

He's not the timid boy from canon, which as you see is not just an advantage.

I found a wonderful class schedule for Harry's First Year in PDF form somewhere, unfortunately I cannot find its author. Harry of course follows the Ravenclaw classes.  
The animagus scene is not in the book (I think it only comes up in third year), but I liked it too much in the film to leave it out.

I appreciate your reviews and try to answer them if you ask questions. But please make sure you don't turn off the ability to receive PMs :(  
The same goes for anonymous reviews, I cannot answer you if there is no way for me to reply.

This chapter beta'd by **marijeme**, all remaining errors are mine.

A/N 2: Sorry for the slow down in my update rate. At this point I'm no longer working from existing material so it takes more time to write, edit, rewrite, etc.. If you want more from me, please check my _Der Kaiser's Ramblings_ collection story. I have written two more one-shots this week while I was stuck in B&C.

A/N 3: Minor edits 03-08.

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Story recommendation is something I wish I'd written. butalearner's **A Kiss of Clichéd Proportions**, story ID **8555329**, makes fun of the whole soul bond theme in a very amusing way.


	11. Detention and Détente

**Chapter Eleven**

**Detention and Détente**

Harry Janus Black was being frog-marched through the corridors of Hogwarts by Professor Sprout, en route to the Charms classroom of Professor Flitwick.

'You wait here. One peep out of you and you will be expelled!' Professor Sprout was still very angry. Never in all her years of teaching had she seen a student assault another on the first day of classes.

The rotund witch knocked on the classroom door, and opened it.  
'Filius, do you have a moment? I need your assistance with one your Ravens,' she said in a strained tone.

'Ah, err... certainly Pomona,' the minute Professor replied.  
'Class, please read the next chapter. If I am not back by the end of class, your homework will be to practice the Doubling Charm, remember the incantation is _Gemino_. I expect you all to have mastered it by the next class.'

Professor Flitwick stepped out into the corridor, and saw Harry standing there looking dirty and miserable.  
'My Office then Pomona, Mr Black?'

The three walked down the corridor to Professor Flitwick's office, at the base of the Ravenclaw tower.

'Filius, Mr Black here has earned a Points loss and a detention for assault on a classmate,' Pomona wasted no time once they were seated.  
'He attacked Mr Malfoy in Slytherin, and called Mr Malfoy senior by a most foul name. Furthermore he –'  
She was cut off as the door slammed open, and a fuming Professor Snape stepped in.

'Why is it that one of the students in my House is in the Hospital Wing in pain Filius?' he began, in an ice cold tone.  
'_Black_... taking after your good-for-nothing _father_ I see,' were the next words out of his mouth as he saw Harry sitting there.  
'Well, Filius? Why is this _street fighter_ not on his way back to whatever slimy hole his _father_ calls a home?'

'Don't you talk about my father like that, _giri_!' yelled Harry, rising from his chair. Professor Flitwick was quick to push Harry back down again in his seat.  
'Mr Black, calm down or do I need to give you a Calming Draught before we can have a discussion?  
'And you Severus,' Professor Flitwick looked angrily at his colleague, 'should know better than to insult others. We haven't heard young Harold's side of the tale yet.'

'What is there to tell? You see what a hot-head the brat is. No doubt he attacked Mr Malfoy just because he accidentally got a little mud on him, which is hardly uncommon in Professor Sprout's class,' the greasy-haired man smoothly said.

'Mr Black – Harold – why don't you tell us what happened?' Filius asked the boy. Standing up, he was just at Harry's eye level and looked at him in what he hoped was a reassuring way.

'_Era yo quien pago el pato_,' Harry muttered in the _llanito_ dialect he had grown up speaking in Gibraltar.  
'Hermione and I –'

'Ms Granger, his girlfriend,' Professor Sprout interjected.

'My _friend_ Hermione and I,' Harry continued with a glare, 'were drawing the plant as Sprout –'

'_Professor_ Sprout, Harold,' said Filius.

'Argh, do you want me to tell you or not!'

Professor Flitwick shot him a look, and Harry took a deep breath to calm himself.

'Sorry,' he mumbled.  
'Hermione and I were doing what _Professor_ Sprout told us to do, when we were suddenly splashed by a tray full of mud.  
'And Drakey Malfoy called me a... _Mudblood_ lover.'

Professors Sprout and Flitwick were disgusted by this. Mudblood was one of the worst invectives used by Wizards, and carried the same weight in Wizarding culture as a Muggle calling someone of African descent by the N-word.

'I lost my temper at that,' Harry continued. 'Malfoy had been bothering me on the train the day before and had used the term then to refer to my – to Hermione, so I was not willing to let that _empepinado_ insult her again.'

'The boy is obviously lying,' Snape said.

'Not so fast Severus! What proof do you have of that?' asked Flitwick.

'Harry, is that the truth?' Professor Sprout asked, her face softened.

Harry nodded in response.

'I believe him. Mr Malfoy was away from his own work table when I noticed the alteration, and there _was_ an empty potting tray lying on the floor.  
'Look at the boy, he is dirty all over!'

'I see, I see,' Filius stroked his moustache.  
'I believe you assigned him a loss of fifty House Points and detention with Mr Filch, Pomona?'

She nodded in response, and Filius looked Harry straight in the eye.

'The Points loss and detention will stand. Ut-tut-tut,' Harry had began protesting, 'you did throw the first punch and used an equally foul term in response.  
'As for Mr Malfoy,' Filius looked at Professor Snape, who had been smirking just now,  
'I think an equal punishment would be more than fair. Don't you agree, Pomona?'

'Yes Filius, that sounds fair,' she replied.

Snape was angry again. 'Must I remind you that Mr Malfoy is currently in the hospital wing, severely wounded by this _savage_ here?'

'Mind your words Severus, or do I need to take things up with Minnie and Albus again?' Filius would not let Malfoy get off scot-free.  
'Either Mr Black and Mr Malfoy both lose points and serve detention, or neither will!'

'Fine,' Snape grumbled. 'I'll have Mr Malfoy arrive at Mr Filch's office at seven pm, if his injuries will permit such.'

'He'd better be there Severus, or we'll have words,' Flitwick replied.  
'If Mr Malfoy is suffering from a broken nose, all he will need is an _episkey_ from Madam Pomfrey, and a pain killer later he will be right as rain.'

Snape left angry, his cloak swirling behind him.

'Mr Black, you will report to me directly after dinner,' Filius told Harry, 'Before your detention I wish to discuss your temper with you.  
'Is this all right for you, Pomona?' he asked his colleague.

'Thank you Filius, I knew you would be fair,' Pomona Sprout replied.  
'Harry, I hope you will learn to restrain your temper. Even with what Mr Malfoy did and said, I will not tolerate brawling in- or outside the classroom, understood?'

'Yes'm,' Harry replied, not looking up.  
'May I go now Professors?'

'Head directly to your common room Harry. Your girlfriend is probably waiting for you,' Filius replied with a dismissive wave.

'She's not my – argh!' Harry stood up, and walked out of the office.

'He's got a temper, that one,' Pomona replied.

'Perhaps the Headmaster was right to warn us about the son of the notorious Sirius Black?'

'We should not judge him by his father Poma, but I agree, his temper is troublesome. I hope he will listen tonight.'

Harry stamped up the long stairs to the Ravenclaw Common Room, fuming in anger.

'_The rolling hills, the heart that beats forever,  
__The land that never changes, never stills.  
__Ploughed by travelers far from home, not planted,  
__White in anger, green in peace, and always blue._

What am I?' asked the eagle knocker.

Harry stood there, forcing himself to calm down as he thought of an answer.  
'Farmland? No... wait... that's not it. Are you the ocean?'

'Very well young Raven. Step inside.'

The door opened and Harry entered the Common Room. The room was half filled with people, among them all the firsties. Hermione took one look at him, then huffed in anger and rushed up the stairs to the girl's quarters, the other girls following her. It looked like she had been crying.

'Now what did I do?' Harry asked of his dorm mates.

'Never mind that, girls are crazy. What happened? Are you expelled? Did they whip you?' the boys asked, their voices overlapping as they rushed him with questions.

'I lost fifty Points,' Harry said, causing the others to groan. A third-year who overheard them shot Harry a dirty look.  
'And I have detention with Filch tonight.'

'Dammit Harry, fifty Points? That will set us dead last for the Cup! How could you –'

'It's not my fault! It's that git of a cousin of mine!' Harry cried in defence. 'At least he got the same punishment for starting it, and has to serve detention as well.'

Harry felt an older hand on his shoulder, and saw Robert Hilliard looking down at him with a disappointed look.

'Harry, as Prefect of the House I'm giving you an official warning. Until you have earned those fifty Points back, you are on probation in the House.  
'It's only because you managed to also cost Slytherin the same loss, that you're not in any more problems.  
'Now you'd better get started on your homework, dinner starts soon and you won't have time later.'

Harry nodded his assent, and sat down at the firsties' table with Michael, Terry, Steve, and Kevin. The girls did not come down until it was time to leave for dinner, and Hermione was ignoring Harry's attempts to speak to her. She still had puffy eyes from crying.

A miserable young wizard sat at the dinner table, Steve, Padma and Mandy between him and Hermione. All the girls were glaring at him from time to time.

The jeers from the Gryffindor table about 'trouble in paradise, love birds?', led by the red-headed git Harry mentally now called 'mo-Ron Weasley', didn't help to improve his mood either. Harry was especially annoyed to see Neville Longbottom sit next to Ron Weasley, he had thought they Neville was (or could become) a friend. Even if the Longbottom boy didn't appear to take part in the teasing, by allying with Ron Harry felt Neville had chosen to go against him and Hermione.

He again tried to talk to Hermione as dinner ended, only to be told by a rather cold Lisa Turpin:  
'She's very upset right now, _Harold_. You can apologise later if she will let you.'

Harry nodded in understanding, and went to Professor Flitwick's office. Flitwick gave him a long lecture on the importance of holding one's temper and never to use physical violence or curse hexes but always get a teacher instead.

Then it was time for detention. Mr Filch was a nasty old man, who looked at Harry as if he saw a bug to be stepped on.

'Well well well,' he said as Harry and Draco were standing in Filch's office, 'we _are_ in trouble. 'tis a shame the Headmaster has abolished the old punishments, a night on the rack would cure your brawling spirits... this country is going to the dogs I tell you.' The Hogwarts janitor seemed to stare off into nothingness a bit, probably dreaming of torture instruments, then looked back at the two boys.  
'Right you miserable lot, follow me.'

Mr Filch took them to the Trophy Room, filled with cups, scales, and other trophies ranging back hundreds of years.

'You, Black, polish the left side of the room – and no magic!  
'You, Malfoy, do the same for the right.'

'What!' spluttered the blond. 'Cleaning work? When my father hears about this –'

'Your father knows that bad little boys get punished here, oh yes he's had his share of detentions here back in his day. Now get cleaning, and no talking!'

Mr Filch put up a chair, and sat down, stroking his cat. The two boys worked in silence.

Finally it was approaching seven thirty, and Filch let them go.

'Wait up Draco,' said Harry as they left the room.  
'I apologise for the punch earlier. But I mean it when I said you can't insult Hermione around me.'

'And why should I accept your apology?'

'Because I know _your_ father wants to be friends with _my_ father. Truce? You will stop insulting me, and I will pretend you are a friend next time we have a family meeting?'

Malfoy carefully considered Harry's stretched out hand.

'All right, it's a truce, Black. I won't insult her, but I won't act nice to your pet Mud– to your girlfriend either,' he corrected himself.

'Why does everybody say that, we are just friends!' cried Harry. Just then Mr Filch's cat, Mrs Norris, walked out of the Trophy Room.

'Oh shit, curfew!' The boys ran for their respective common rooms.

Harry made it to the top of the tower just in time, not even registering the riddle as he answered it in a breathless tone.

Hermione was not there waiting for him.

* * *

A/N: I have Harry use some llanito terms here when he is really upset. Llanito (pronounced Yanito) is the Spanish-Italian-English pidgin spoken by people in Gibraltar. The term probably comes from the Genoan (Italian) name Gianni, as a large part of Gibraltar's population is of Genoan origin.  
_G__iri_: a llanito term for British people, roughly equivalent to 'limey'. I don't know its origin.  
_Era yo quien pago el pato_: literally 'I paid the duck'. The expression sort of means 'I was blamed'.  
_Empepinado_: stuffed with cucumbers. Meaning stupid/mad/foolish etc..

If you think Hermione is being too unreasonable here regarding Harry, please keep in mind that while they both are smart eleven year olds, they're still eleven year old _kids_. Hermione is not exactly a stable person at this time (canon!Hermione spends _all day_ crying in a bathroom over an insult), and Harry tries to act more mature than he is, but you've seen he has a short temper by now.

This chapter beta'd by **marijeme**, all remaining errors are mine.

* * *

My story recommendation is Perceval23's incredible **Fairy Tales** with story ID **6883400**. A description won't do it justice, just read it if you like fairy tales, Harry, and Luna Lovegood being Luna.


	12. Girls are mental

**Chapter Twelve**

**Girls are mental**

Tuesday morning Harry was awoken again by Steve's annoying alarm charm, fortunately set for half an hour later this morning. The six boys slowly awoke each in his own fashion, and headed for the bathroom.

When Harry got downstairs there were no first-year girls in the Common Room, and he debated waiting for Hermione, but the other boys basically dragged him along to breakfast.

Harry saw Hermione sitting at the breakfast table surrounded – shielded – by the other girls. Hermione avoided his eyes.

Harry tried to get up to sit closer to her, but was intercepted by Su Li: 'Harry, you scared her badly in Herbology. Give her a little time.' Miserably, Harry sat down a bit further away, and began his breakfast.

The ignoring continued during History of Magic. Hermione shared a table with Padma, so Harry had to sit with Michael instead. Professor Binns of course did not notice anything amiss.

The Slytherins watched Harry carefully, but apparently Malfoy had warned them off after their talk last night, as no confrontations arose. Prissy Prat, Pug-nosed Pansy Parkinson kept glaring at him all lesson though.

After that class he tried to join Hermione at her table in the library where the firsties gather for their homework, but was intercepted by an older student, Tonks.

'Wotcher Harry, why do you look as if a Kneazle just coughed up a hairball on your pillow?' asked the Hufflepuff. She had poison green hair today.

'Oh, hi, Tonks. Hermione is being unreasonable, I–'

'Darn kid, don't you have any common sense?' Tonks pulled Harry into the book stacks, away from the work tables where they could easily be overheard by the girl being discussed.  
'Okay I don't have the details, but the scuttlebutt is that you had another fight with the baby Malfoy, right?'

Harry nodded.

'Well, that explains it. From how I saw your girlfriend react on the train–'

'She's not my girlfriend!' blurted out Harry, and Tonks just grinned.

'As I was saying when you so rudely interrupted me, your _girlfriend_ seemed like an overly sensitive person. Face it kiddo, you hurt her feelings. There is nothing you can do now but to go back to your classmates and let her calm down, until she will let you apologise for being so insensitive,' she said.

Harry nodded, looking miserably.

'Oh and Harry?' Tonks clipped him at the ear.

'Ouch! What did you do that for?' It stung quite a bit.

'Two reasons runt: you made a girl cry, and you didn't tell me you were my second cousin back on the train. 'tWas quite a shock to hear your last name at your sorting. Just because my mum and your dad are fighting, doesn't mean you get to ignore your awesome and beautiful older cousin like that!'

Showing some wisdom, Harry didn't argue that he had had no idea she was his cousin, and with Hermione had nothing to apologise for, so he just mumbled 'sorry' and then rejoined the boys' table.

'Mental, girls are,' Steve remarked, as he saw Harry rub his ear when he sat back down. Steve had caught some of the last part of him and Tonks.  
'Don't know why you even bother Har. The girls our age are crazy, and the older ones are worse still.'

Harry didn't reply. He couldn't explain exactly why he felt so miserable without Hermione either.

Transfiguration should have been exciting, as Professor McGonagall finally would allow them to do magic. They were each given a matchstick, and had to turn it into a needle.

'Dumped by your evil boyfriend Granger?' hissed Weasley when he thought McGonagall couldn't hear them, he had noticed Harry and Hermione were not sitting or speaking with each other.

'MR WEASLEY! May I suggest you stay out of your classmate's love life, and focus on the subject? Or do I need to assign another detention?'

That shut him up, but Harry saw Hermione had stiffened. Padma, who she was sitting with again, comfortingly padded her back.

By the end of the class nobody had managed to create a needle, although Harry and a number of other Ravenclaws had managed to make their matchstick silver, and Hermione had additionally almost managed to create a hole at one end. In contrast one of the Gryffindor boys managed to set his match stick on fire.

'Excellent work Ms Granger! Five Points each to Ravenclaw for managing a partial Transfiguration, and ten Points to Ms Granger for almost completing it.'

Then came lunch. Hermione was again boxed in by the other girls, so Harry just chatted with Terry and the other boys about Quidditch, and what the other classes could be like. Charms was not until the end of the week, but they would have their first DADA class tomorrow.

Herbology was a quiet affair compared to the day before. They had to finish drawing the plant, only this time all the Slytherins were on one side of the greenhouse, and the Ravens on the other side. Nobody provoked anyone else.

The last class of the day was _General Skills_, taught by Professor Burbage, who also taught Muggle Studies to third-years and above. They shared this class with the Hufflepuff house.

'In this class, you will learn basic skills such as English literature and linguistics, Mathematics, and Muggle Science. Don't scoff, Mr Smith,' she commented as the stuck-up Pure-blood did just that, 'if you wish to later get a career at the Ministry or one of the better companies it will be expected that you know at least the basics of what Muggles call the _Eye G__ee See Essee_.'

This last bit was said in a tone as if she was speaking a spell in ancient Sumerian. Harry and a few other Muggleborn or Half-bloods recognised it as the IGCSE, or the standardized international exams comparable to the ones most British Muggles took between age fourteen and sixteen.

'Mathematics in particular are a required skill for those of you who wish to take the Arithmancy elective class in two years, and English literature and linguistics will serve you equally well in both the Ancient Runes elective as in the Foreign Languages extracurriculars.'

Having grown up in Muggle schools, Harry was quick to adapt to the subject matter. He helped out his desk mate Terry Boot, who had grown up in a Pure-blood household and was not familiar with the subject matter. Hermione, he saw, was helping Morag with the same.

It was a good thing that most Pure-bloods were paired up with Half-bloods or Muggleborn students, as the Professor proved to have virtually no knowledge of the subject matter, and was just reading from the textbook.

Following dinner the kids retired to their Common Room. Hermione was still ignoring Harry, so he just did his homework with the help from the boys, then excused himself to go upstairs to his dorm room.

Harry saw he was alone, and hopped on his bed, closing the curtains. All the curtains had a one- way silencing spell on them, so that no sound from the bed could go outside, whereas the sleeper could hear anything outside. This, Hillard had told them the previous day, had been done ages ago since Ravenclaws knew the value of a good sleep, and snoring room mates were not productive for that.

Harry took out the ornate hand mirror his father had given him, and said 'Sirius Black!'

Nothing happened, and Harry was considering if his father had not pranked him again, when the mirror suddenly buzzed and he saw his father's face.

'Harry! Finally you call! I was expecting a report yesterday evening young man, but you did not respond. What happened to keeping the mirror with you always?' Sirius chastised his son.

'Sorry dad, yesterday was no fun. I was exhausted when I got to bed. First I am sorted into Slytherin–'

A loud 'WHAT!' interrupted him, and Harry kept his face as stone for a good twenty seconds before he burst out in laughter.

'Thanks dad, I needed that. Fooled ya! I'm actually a Ravenclaw, see?' He lifted his tie from his vest and showed it through the mirror.

'Few, that's a relief. Not that there's anything wrong with being a sneaky slimy untrustworthy snake of course!' Sirius replied.

'Of course not dad,' Harry dryly said. 'Anyway, dad, I need your help.'

Harry told about the previous day, how Malfoy had goaded him into a fight, what a git the Potions Professor was, and that Hermione was not speaking to him.

'Girl problems at eleven. Pup, I'm so proud of you,' Sirius wiped away a mock tear and Harry complained 'Daaaaad!'

'Good job on the détente with Malfoy. While I'm back in our home in Gibraltar on business, I've given Slickery Lucy my voting proxy in the Wizengamot, and we really need to stay on his good side for now. You probably noticed that the public opinion is still very much against me and I need his support to fix that.'

'I noticed dad, they're saying you are responsible for the Boy-who-lived disappearing. I know Drakey once told me about that, wasn't he some kind of mystical saviour who defeated the last Dark Lord?'

'Something like that,' Sirius uncomfortably answered.

'Remember when I told you about James Potter, Remus Lupin, and the bird watching club we belonged to?'

Harry nodded in response.

'It was this group run by Dumbledore, yes the same Dumbledore who is your headmaster, and when I left the group to take care of you Dumbley blamed me for betraying him. He is the one who invented the Boy-who-lived story, and is using that to further slander our name.'

'Can't we do anything about that dad?'

'It's a slow process Harry. Hopefully by the time you fly back here for Christmas, the ball will be rolling.  
'Now what did you say your Potions Professor's name was? He reminds me of someone.'

'I didn't yet. It's Snape.'

'SNAPE?' Sirius could not believe his ears. 'Dumbledore still has _Snivellus_ Snape as a teacher? Harry, I want you to be careful with him. Snape was an evil git when we were in the same school year, and he was on the Evil Side during the War. He hated me since the first day of school, and the feeling became mutual.'

'That explains the evil looks I was getting, and his badmouthing you. So what, I should not go to Potions?'

'Harry Janus Black, don't you dare sabotage your education,' Sirius shot that idea down. 'Just stay polite in his class, and any time he attacks you verbally report it to your head of House. Is that still Filius Flitwick?'

Harry nodded in response.

'Good, he's an honourable man. His only flaw is that he tends not to act, only react. Still, be earnest with him and he should protect you from _Snivellus_. I'll try to see what he is doing teaching when I am taking care of the Dumbledore slander issue, just hold out until then.'

'Thanks dad. Maybe it won't be as bad.'

'Now what about this girl? Has my son already gotten himself a girlfriend? Is she cute? How are her kisses?'

'Daaaaad!' Harry was mortified, but explained in more detail about the Hermione issue.

'You did nothing wrong Harry,' the animagus assured his son. 'Everybody can lose their temper, especially when Malfoys are involved.  
'Seems like Andy's daughter, that Tonks girl, gave you some good advice. If Hermione is important to you, wait until she allows you to apologise, and do so with all your heart.  
'If not, just forget about her. There must be what, at least another sixty or so girls in your year?'

'Not really dad, maybe fifteen or so, counting the other houses.'

'Merlin, I forgot how bad the War was on the families...' Sirius trailed off a bit with a faraway look.  
'Best to just bite the bullet and grovel then, Harry. Tell her you are an idiot, that way you won't have to lie.'

'Hey!'

'Hehehe,' Sirius sniggered. 'Do good grovelling and maybe she'll let you kiss her. I expect a full report once you're out of the dog house, okay?'

'_Technically_, aren't I already out of the dog house now that I'm no longer sleeping under your roof?'

'Smart-ass. Good luck with her son – and with your classes – and remember you can always call me if there is a problem.'

Harry thanked his father and went back downstairs, deflecting what he was doing up there to his room mates. It was probably not against the law or anything to talk to your dad, but he felt a little afraid they would make fun of him.

He realised a little while later that he had forgotten to ask about the Sorting Hat and its comment on his dad, ah well. By the time Harry got downstairs the girls had all disappeared to their dorm and did not come back down when bed time came.

Wednesday began with the slowly familiar routine of breakfast, History, and a free hour spent in the library, studying. Hermione was still upset with him.

After the morning break came their first Defence Against the Dark Arts class. Harry had had high hopes for this class, but Professor Quirrel proved to be scared of his own shadow, and could hardly be understood because of his stuttering.

To say Harry was disappointed would be an understatement. In a rare moment he caught Hermione's eye, and she also looked upset at the poor quality of teaching, before she remembered she was angry at him and pointedly ignored him again.

Herbology was getting boring as they moved on from drawing plants to watering them. At least the Slytherins were behaving.

General Skills was the most interesting class of the day, but again given by an incompetent teacher. Professor Burbage not only seemed uninterested in the subject, but was also unfamiliar with it.

Later that night he asked Penelope Clearwater, 'Penny, since when is General Skills a subject here?'

'Oh they started that three years ago, as an extension of Muggle Studies. At the same time Muggle Studies was overhauled to be IGCSE prep.

'The rumour goes that Headmaster Dumbledore got into some problems at the ICW, and they basically forced GS and the Muggle Studies changes on Britain as part of punishment. That's also why Divination is no longer an elective, but now extracurricular.'

Astronomy Class was held at midnight that day, and a tired assembly of Ravens and Snakes took to their beds after.

Thursday morning began with Charms, given by their Head of House, Professor Flitwick. He was an excitable man with an obvious love for his subject.

Although no magic was taught that first day, as he only discussed the various wand movements, his obvious love for the subject was infective and the Ravens and Snakes were woken up fully by his lecture.

DADA was still disappointing, as was the following General Skills class. At least next week Flying Lessons would start in the Thursday slot.

Tomorrow would be Friday, a half day... but with Potions as the last class. And Hermione was _still_ not talking to him.

* * *

A/N: Yay for Tonks. We're slowly gearing up to the actual story, I need to show some of the lessons and student relations before I can go further derail JKR's plot.

General Skills as a class: you can't honestly have me suspend my disbelief far enough to consider that the students at Hogwarts get absolutely no lessons in basic math, writing, science, arts - even the Harry Potter games introduce these subjects in some form.  
GS takes the slot of flying lessons since those are only held once, apparently.

This chapter is unbeta'd, I'll replace it if my beta gets back to me.

For the record: Hermione _is_ being unreasonable. Part of the reason for this is that she is eleven and has hardly had to deal with other kids other than being bullied by them before, but it will end. And Harry will not grovel for her.

* * *

Story rec time. The Mad Mad Reviewer's tale **Jamie Evans and Fate's Fool** (as the Idiotic Purge forced him to retitle and reupload it) with Story ID **8175132** is something anyone wishing to know how you write Fem!Harry should read.


	13. The Potions Monster

**Chapter Thirteen**

**The Potions Monster**

Friday, last day of an eventful week, finally arrived. The morning routine of Steve's annoying alarm charm, the rush to the bathrooms, and heading downstairs was nearly automatic by now.  
Hermione didn't avoid his gaze, so even though she still would not speak to him and didn't sit near him, Harry felt things were getting better.  
Merlin, girls were mental.

They finally got do some magic in that morning's double Charms. Their Head of House showed them the Wand-Lighting Charm.

'This is perhaps one of the simplest charms you'll ever learn class,' began the part-Goblin, 'which makes it all the more surprising it was not invented until a hundred-fifty years ago.  
'The incantation is _Lumos_, and wand movement is a simple loop, then point. Now, you try it!'

A chorus of _Lumos_ followed. Several people's wand tips lit up in a pleasant yellow, but Harry's lit up a bright scarlet that hurt his eyes to look at them.

'Mr Black, not so much power! You are trying to light your wand tip, not blow up the classroom!' Flitwick rushed over and laid his hand on Harry's, 'Quickly now, '_Nox_!'  
The wand extinguished itself, to Flitwick's obvious relief.

Harry blushed, as he saw the entire class looking at him.

'Blimey mate, it looked like Flitwick was actually scared a second there,' mumbled Michael in Harry's ear. 'Remind me never to get into a duel with you.'

No further incidents occurred as the Ravens practiced the charm, and then moved on to its counterpart '_Nox_' later on.

After class, Hermione walked up to Harry, but then seemed to hesitate, and she sped off with the other girls. Harry looked after her with hesitation, but didn't try to force it. There was no time for homework in the Library as Charms had been a double class, and they had to cross nearly all of the castle to get to the Potions dungeon in time.

The dungeon was cold, damp, and badly lit. The classroom (such as it was) looked like it would not be out of place in a Hammer movie on Frankenstein, with the strange apparatus, pickled animals floating in glass, and bubbling cauldron.

They shared this class with the Hufflepuffs, who didn't look any more pleased to be there than they were. Harry took a seat with Steve, and waited for the Professor to arrive.

_Slam_! The door banged against the wall as the greasy-haired Snape walked in, his cloak swirling behind him. 'There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class,' Snape said, walking towards his desk at the front.  
'As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few...' here he gazed at the entire class, and sniffed disdainfully.

'I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper in death... if you aren't a bunch of dunderheads as I usually teach.' His eyes seemed to bore down on Harry.  
'_Black_', he nearly hissed. 'You think _you_ have the aptitude for potions? You should have been expelled for your attack on Malfoy, but alas the esteemed Headmaster believes in second chances.'

If Harry had had any doubt Snape hated him and his father, this was gone now.

'Feuding with your friends Black? Why are you not sitting with your _girlfriend_?' Snape glared maliciously at the young wizard.  
'Ms Granger, up and front. You will take the seat next to your boyfriend and try to keep him from being a dunderhead.'

Hermione, blushing heavily, moved up and swapped places with Steve.

'Black!' said Snape suddenly. 'What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?'

_Asphodel and wormwood?_ Harry clenched his jaw, trying to remember.  
'Ah... the Draught of Living Death, sir?'

'Not as stupid as your father then, eh Black? Or did your girl whisper the answer to you? Let's try again. Black, where would you find a bezoar?'

_A what?_ Harry desperately tried to remember. Several of the Ravenclaws, including Hermione next to him, had their hands raised, wishing to answer.

'Err... in the Potions cabinet, sir?' Harry asked.

Snape smirked, 'Five Points from Ravenclaw for cheek, Black. Thought you could ignore your studies eh? I expected more from a _Ravenclaw_.  
'Last try. What, Mr Black, is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?'

Harry had no idea. He had read _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_ and _Magical Drafts and Potions_, but did not have an eidetic memory. He was certain the latter book did not mention the two ingredients at all.

'I don't know, sir,' he said.

'Monkshood is the same plant as wolfsbane, sir,' piped up Hermione. 'It is also known as aconite. It is used in various Potions such as –'

'Be quiet and sit down, girl!' snapped Snape at her. 'Five Points from Ravenclaw for speaking out of term, and you, Black, another five Points for being an idiot son of a moron.  
'For your information, as you would have known had you read your school books, a bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat. It will cure almost all poisons. Well?' he glared at the Ravens and Badgers, 'why are you not taking it down?'

Things did not improve as the class continued. Snape kept throwing insults at Harry, mainly over his father, when something happened to the cauldron of Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones. The Hufflepuff girls had made some kind of mistake, and their cauldron was fuming heavily.

'Idiot girls!' snarled Snape, clearing the potion away with a wand wave.  
'You nearly caused your cauldron to melt down, which could have seriously injured you.  
'I suppose following simple instructions is too difficult for the House of Duffers?'  
'Black!,' he turned, snarling at Harry, sitting two desks to the right from the girls. 'Thought it would be funny to see another house fail? Is that why you did not warn them? Another five Points from Ravenclaw.'

Harry had had it. Snape had been insulting him for almost the entire hour, and now was blaming him for something he had absolutely nothing to do with?

'You know I had nothing to do with that, Snivellus, lousy git!'

The entire class stared at Harry. Hermione had a hand over her mouth, and was biting down on her knuckle.

Snape, meanwhile, was turning red. 'TWENTY Points from Ravenclaw for insulting a Professor! Out, out out! All of you out!'  
The combined class didn't know how fast to flee.

Once outside, Susan and Hannah were crying, being supported by the other Hufflepuff girls. Harry found his year mates staring at him.

'Blimey Harry, what did you do to him? Even before using that name, he hated your guts,' said Terry.

'I know, he was completely out of line. Wolfsbane is only used in third year Potions,' said Padma.

'Harry... did you have to pick a fight with a Professor?' came Hermione's small voice, 'must you be so violent all the time? First you pick fights with Malfoy, but now with a teacher as well?'

Harry looked at her, hurt. How did _he_ start it every time according to her? He had been respectful all class, despite Snape's despicable behaviour. And with Malfoy he was at the least only partially to blame. He didn't know how to reply.

'Hermione Jane Granger, stop being such a stupid bint,' came Su Li's blunt voice, as she stepped into Hermione's personal space.  
'You saw for yourself how Professor Snape treated Harry all class. Your boyfriend did nothing to deserve your turning on him.'

Hermione blinked, looked at the other Ravens (and a few straggling Hufflepuffs), and saw that most seemed to agree with Su Li. Then she cried.

Automatically, Harry embraced her, 'There there Hermione, it's okay. I am sorry for scaring you by losing my temper.'

'You don't hate me?' came a small voice.

'Not at all, not at all,' replied Harry. He leant in closer to Hermione's face, slightly pucked his lips and –

'Oi Lovebirds, want to stick around for Snivellus to come out, or shall we head for lunch?' said Steve, causing Harry to quickly jump back.

Hanging in front of the Potions dungeon suddenly did not seem like such a good idea, and they headed towards the Great Hall, once again walking hand-in-hand.

* * *

After lunch they had the afternoon off. Ravenclaws being Ravenclaws, almost the entire House seemed to move to the Library for research and homework. The boy/girl table split disappeared again, and Harry found himself at a table with Hermione, Steve, Michael, Morag, and Mandy, just as at the start of the eventful week.

While they were working on their essays and assignments, Susan Bones walked up to their table, followed by Hannah Abbott. The red-haired girl was a typical early bloomer, even through her school robes it could be seen that she was already wearing a bra out of necessity, whereas most other first year girls didn't even use training bras yet. Having grown up with a dog for a father, Harry immediately noticed this and mentally guessed her to already be wearing a B cup at least.  
Sometimes he cursed his father for teaching him how to unsnap a bra at eight, but not tell him about Magic until he almost had to start school.

'H-Harold? C-can we t-talk?' began a shy Susan, then looked at Hermione, and paled. 'Youcanbringyourgirlfriend?' she rattled on. Harry was very intriguing and potential boyfriend material, but he was obviously taken.

_Again with the girlfriend_, Harry thought, but he had given up trying to correct everyone. He didn't want Hermione to think he didn't want her around any more, as they had only just reconciled.

'What? Oh, sure... you mind guys?' Harry asked his table mates, and since nobody objected he stood up, offering his hand to your Hermione to help her up as well, and followed the Badger girls to another section of the library.

'So what's this about, Susan, Hannah?' Harry and Hermione had taken a seat on one of the comfortable reading sofas, the two 'Puffs had taken a seat on one placed kitty-corner from it.

'Snape,' burts out Susan. 'I-I mean, Pro-Professor Snape. He is evil. And he ha-hates you.'

'True, but I _did_ realise that, you know,' replied Harry, with a small frown.

'N-no, I m-mean, he was...'

'Come on Susie! He won't bite your head off you know,' said Hannah suddenly.  
'Harry, Susan here is trying to say that Snape was completely out of line. We are going to send a letter to Susie's aunt Amelia to complain about his horrible teaching, and were wondering if you'd want to join in.'

'Auntie is wo-working in the Min-Ministry,' took over Susan again, 'and is really fair.'

Harry thought it over. Snape _was_ a bastard, but would complaining do more good or harm?  
'What do you think, 'Mione?' he asked the girl whose hand he was holding.

'I –' Hermione took a deep breath, grounding herself. She had been worried for a moment Susan was trying to ask Harry to become her friend, taking her Harry away.  
'I think you should to it, Harry. I know he is a teacher, but _honestly_, the comments he was making about you and your father were unacceptable. I am so disappointed... Eep!' she suddenly realised she was effectively badmouthing a teacher, someone who she owed respect to, and shut down.

'All right then... yes Susan, Hannah, I will write your Aunt as well. When were you planning on sending yours, and who do I send mine to?'

'I was planning to write it th-this weekend, and my auntie is Madam Amelia Bones, at the D-DMLE,' replied Susan.

'Dee Dee Em El Ee? Oh, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement,' Harry reminded himself. 'Wow Susan, you weren't kidding. Your aunt seems like an important person.'

Leaving behind a still blushing but now beaming Susan, Harry stood up again and they said their goodbyes.

'Are you done with your homework 'Mione? The weather looks great outside, and I was hoping you'd join me outside. I saw this nice quiet spot we can read, if you like.'

'I'd love that Harry,' replied Hermione, blushing slightly. 'Meet you at the front door in thirty minutes?'

This agreed upon, Hermione rushed towards the other Ravenclaw girls to talk about her 'date' with the _short-tempered black-haired mysterious hunk_, as Padma put it.

* * *

A/N: Snape's irrational hatred of Sirius Black, projected on poor Harry, caused him to lose his temper and snap at the Bones girl, something he normally would never do as he knows he cannot use too many enemies in the Ministry.

A little preteen 'romance' here with Hermione and Harry finally talking again. Yes Hermione was being a bitch, and now she's finally called out for it. Harry forgives her for now since he values her friendship, difficult as it is. I guess I didn't depict it well that she was scared of him, and overreacted because of that, judging by the many, many reviews...

And before you ask, Susan's crush is and will remain one-sided. Harry is not really ready for dating yet anyway, what he is doing is copying what he has seen his father do. Harry knows more about picking up girls at age eleven than most boys do at age fifteen, and his hormones have hardly even started kicking in yet.

Random: Friday, the Thirteenth chapter. ^_^

* * *

Story recommendation is fringeperson's **Calculation**, with really smart Harry. Story ID is **7619993**.


	14. I see double, you?

**Chapter Fourteen**

**I see double, you?**

Sirius was not happy to learn that Snivellus Snape, Bully, Stalker, and confirmed Death Eater had gotten away scot-free after the Voldemort War, and evidently was still ruining the prospective careers of Potions students.

He floo called Minister Fudge that same evening.

'Sirius, great to hear from you,' began Fudge in a jovial tone.  
'I was planning to invite you to the Yule Ministry Ball, this saves me an Owl. Young Harold is invited as well, of course.'

'Thank you Cornelius, I will be happy to make an appearance,' Sirius replied. He had recently made a sizeable donation to the non-existing _Widows of Aurors Fund_, one of Fudge's many money laundering schemes.

'I am afraid I am calling you for something rather less pleasant. How much do you know about the Hogwarts situation?'

'Anything in particular my friend? Albus is still convinced you are not on the sight of the light, he really seems to dislike both you and our mutual friend Lucius,' Fudge said.

'Ah yes, that unpleasant bit. Harry told me that his Sorting had been... peculiar. Apparently Dumbledore was still expecting the Boy-who-lived to appear. No, I was meaning to ask you if had heard about the Potions teacher, Snape.'

'Well...' Fudge stalled. He knew Snape was a lousy teacher, and was probably responsible for there being so few Potions Students. But that also meant he had a good excuse not to increase the Auror Team sizes, and could find... _creative_ ways to spend that part of the budget. Plus Lucius Malfoy had previously mentioned Snape was a family friend.

'There have been rumours sure,' he decided on answering, 'however you know I cannot directly intervene in the running of Hogwarts.'

'I was afraid of that Cornelius,' Sirius sighed. 'Can you do me a favour and do anything you can to try to reign him in some? Apparently Snape has been telling the same lies Dumbledore has, only even worse. Who knows, he may be trying to indoctrinate the students against you.'

Always deflect on another, one of the Marauder rules. Keep them paranoid and they will see enemies in every shadow, so you can go your own way.

'Yes, yes, that _is _troubling. Thank you for warning me Sirius.'

'It was my pleasure Cornelius. If we do not speak earlier, I will see you at Yuletide,' Sirius ended the call.  
If England was powerless, it was time to go to a higher authority.

That Wednesday morning he had gone over to the office of his distant cousin Lima, the Magical Governor of Gibraltar.

'Edward, thanks for seeing me,' Sirius began in a clipped tone.

'Of course Sirius, I will always make time for family,' Lima answered. The elderly statesman (he had recently celebrated his eightieth birthday) thoughtfully stroked his beard, as he looked at his prospective successor. Sirius looked haggled, as if he had hardly slept.

'By the state I find you in, am I correct to assume young Harold has been in contact with you, and you did not like what you hear?'

'How did you – of course, you are an expert at reading people.' Sirius leaned back in the comfortable chair with a sigh.  
'Dumbledore has lost his mind. Not only has he done nothing, _nothing_, to get rid of the insane Blood Cult in England, but now my son tells me that he still has a confirmed Death Eater on staff!'

'Ah, that would be one Severus Snape?' Lima had heard rumours about the Potions Professor even in Gibraltar.  
'Sirius, how bad is it?'

'It's bad Edward, bad. Harry has had only one encounter with him so far, but from what he told me Snape is the same man he was back when he was actively fighting for Voldemort in the late '70s.  
'Even if Harry is exaggerating much, and you know he is not much of a braggart, the picture he paints is not happy. Snape should not be allowed anywhere near decent folk.'

'I see, I see,' Lima was thinking, 'I take it you came to me, to see if I could take you along to tomorrow's ICW meeting then?'

'That would be perfect Edward. If you can arrange it so that I can speak to the Education Committee again, I may be able to do some good.'

'Your timing is excellent then cousin. Dumbledore has sent word he will not be at the next meeting, so we are free to tell the truth about him.  
'I will once again raise my own concerns about our Chief Mugwump.'

And so a plan was made.

The next day Lima and Black flood to the secure reception hall in Geneva. The ICW had relocated there following the many European wars, as Muggle technology became increasingly dangerous. Geneva was a part of Switzerland, one of the small Muggle nations that seemed to manage to keep the peace. Switzerland was also a Magical nation, having broken off from the Holy Roman Empire before the Magical government fully separated from the Muggle one in the German states.

Sirius spectated the larger meeting, which was mainly about international cauldron bottom depths, until Lima introduced a motion to have Dumbledore's actions of the 1980s and afterwards inspected. He cited specific examples of corruption under Bagnold, including the Death Eater pardons.

'As our esteemed Mugwump was raised to the position of Chief Warlock in Britain by this time, I must question, Witches and Wizards, why did he not act?  
'Albus Dumbledore is and was not a naïve man. He must have been able to foresee the consequences of not dealing with the insurgents after the War ended.  
'Indeed, signals from Britain say that the Blood Cult is still widespread there.'

That got a good reaction. Blood Supremacy had been a fringe ideology in most countries, and was not a part of mainstream belief. Only the Magical Empires of Russia, China, and Nippon openly believed in it. The South American Viceroyalties, the Confederacy of Brasilia, the NAMC and MSAA, as well as most of the smaller Asian and European states, had all forsworn the ideology at some point.

'I must ask you, esteemed Heads of States, Ambassadors, Governors, and your Royal Highnesses, is that the sort of man we should be trusting as Supreme Mugwump?  
'A man whose loyalties are split between this esteemed body, the sovereign state of Britain, and one of the great schools of our world?  
'I call for a vote of dismissal and election of a new Mugwump!'

The uproar was enormous. Dumbledore had lost a lot of popularity over the past few years thanks to leaked info by Sirius and Lima, but never before had he been openly questioned like this. Alas Russia used its veto, and the motion was shelved.

After a less invigorating session on whether or not the Veela Nation should be granted spectator rights at the ICW or if the current status quo of them falling under French and Bulgarian authority should be maintained, the session ended for an extended lunch break.

Sirius made his way over to Wung Xiujing, the current head of the Educations Committee of the ICW. She was a Chinese woman in her thirties, who had been a teacher at the Imperial Academy for Magic in Nanjing for a few years now but had taken a sabbatical to take her current position. And, Sirius knew, was unmarried.

'Ms Wung?' Sirius gave a curt nod of the head to the woman as she indicated she was her, 'I believe Mr Lima has kindly requested you offer some of your time to hear one of my concerns?'

Wung nodded, and lead Sirius off to one of the smaller offices.  
'Mr Black, I have heard about you. You are supposed to be one of the late British Dark Lord's closest followers, and at the same time one of his biggest enemies.  
'Men such as you intrigue me. Please elaborate as to why you wished to speak to me.'

'Were this any other day madame, I would say I was captivated by your beauty,' Sirius smiled at her, then became _serious_, 'Alas I have come with great concerns for the state of education in Britain.'

That certainly got Wung's attention, 'Do speak up. Mugwump Dumbledore has been very reluctant to cooperate, after we forced the IGCSE prep on him.'

'Thank you. The primary concern is with the current only Potions teacher...'

Sirius spent a good half hour telling Wung about his own experiences with Snape, his proof that Snape had been an Inner Circle Death Eater, and recounted how Snape had interacted with an eleven-year old in his first week (Harry).

A good indicator of how angry Sirius was was that he did not try to further flirt with Wung following their meeting. Wung promised to look into the situation as soon as possible, and at that Sirius left.

He said his goodbyes to Lima, and flood back to Gibraltar. Another important discussion was coming up.

Sirius changed his clothes to a more dapper outfit, and took an international floo to the Ministry of Magic from Lima's office. Lima had given him permission for that day, normally it was quite prohibited.

From the Ministry, Sirius went to the Leaky Cauldron, where he found his _date_ waiting for him.

'Rita Skeeter, looking as lovely as ever,' he laid on the charm, 'You are a brave woman, to be willing to talk with what was it again? You-know-who's right hand man?'

'Hah hah eh,' Rita spluttered nervously, 'I never believed that Sirius – I may call you Sirius?' she did not wait for a nod or reply but continued, finding her courage.  
'It was just what my editor wished me to write at the time. You are a _fascinating_ man, so little is known about you. Now tell me, why did you request this meeting hmm?'  
She took out a notepad, and Quick-Quotes Quill.

'No need for those yet Rita,' Sirius pushed her quill away. Let me tell you a story about Dumbledore's youth, I am sure you'll find it rather _interesting_.'  
Sirius began recounting the story that James Potter's former neighbour Bathilda Bagshot had once told him shortly after the Potters moved into the house in Godric's Hollow, about a young Dumbledore and his friendship with Bathilda's dear nephew Gellert...

* * *

Short chapter, I needed to get the politics out of the way quickly before I can go back to Harry. You'll get the next one later today or tomorrow, once I go over it again for a last pass.

* * *

Story recommendation: Muggledad's **Partners**, Story ID **5012016**. One of the best Harry/Daphne stories on this site.


	15. Broomsticks and more Politics

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Broomsticks and more Politics**

Harry wrote his letter to Madam Bones that Saturday detailing the Potions class, and he also mentioned how lousy Professors Binns, Quirrel, and Burbage were. Binns' lectures were potentially interesting as he talked about a lot of things not in the book, but it was delivered in such a monotone voice that the students in his class ran the risk of joining Binns in the afterlife.

As for Quirrel, the man seemed incapable of speaking three words without stuttering, and even the curriculum he had outlined seemed boring and irrelevant. They would actually have a class on garlic – not some magical plant with the same name, but the bloody condiment! Okay garlic was supposed to scare off vampires, but to dedicate a whole class to it?

Burbage was so extremely unsuited to teach what Harry still mentally called IGCSE prep that it seemed a bad joke. It was obvious the woman had never seen a Muggle in her life, and had no idea about 99% of the world.

The less said about Snape, the better.

Harry walked up to the Owlery with Hermione close by. They had fully reconciled over their not-a-date yesterday, and Harry felt comforted being near her again. Hermione was blushing a bit occasionally when she found him looking at her, but as of yet hadn't commented on their almost kiss of the day before. Harry himself was not perfectly sure why it had felt so right to move in at that moment, and was a bit glad she wasn't making an issue out of it. He did wonder why she wouldn't take his hand any more.

In the Owlery, Hedwig had a central porch which she occupied as if she were a queen. The owl seemed to be somewhat annoyed at Harry when the kids entered though, and barked an annoyed _prek_ at him.

'I'm so sorry Hedwig, but I just had no mail to send yet. You're such a beautiful and important owl that I did not want to send you off with nothing,' Harry grovelled for the owl, much to Hermione's amusement.  
'I have a very important letter here for you today, for Madam Bones at the Ministry. And 'Mione here wants to send a letter to her parents, Mr and Mrs Granger in Crawley, as well. Will you do this for us both?'

Hermione did not know exactly when or why she had become 'Mione around Harry, but she liked it. Much better than the horrible nicknames her mother used for her, or her father's _pumpkin_.

Hedwig flew down to Harry's shoulder, and slapped him with her wing once, then nodded at Hermione.

'You will? Oh thank you Hedwig, you're a wonderful owl,' Hermione thanked the magnificent creature. The two kids tied their letters to Hedwig's talons, and the bird took flight.

The rest of the weekend was uneventful. Surprisingly Snape seemed to leave Harry's comment alone, and even the other Ravens were understanding about the Points loss when they heard how it had come to pass. Snape was known to deduct large amounts from time to time, and it was pretty much a given he would deduct about a hundred Points per week from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Gryffindor was treated even worse.

That Harry was not again in risk of House Suspension was a great relief, even if nobody had explained exactly yet what the consequences of ending up in that would be!

* * *

Monday morning, Amelia Bones had taken time off from her busy schedule at the Ministry to come to Hogwarts.  
'Albus, what are you thinking?' she laid in to the old man, once they were up in the Headmaster's office. 'I have received numerous complaints about the classes here.'

Dumbledore was annoyed. His spies – no, informants – had told him about the nearly disastrous ICW session he had been forced to miss, and his continued patronage of Snape was being questioned now by that insufferable Chinese woman. Didn't they see the greater picture? Severus was needed for the Greater Good in his current position.

'Now Amelia, I am sure Professor Snape is not all that bad. He simply takes time getting used to,' Albus countered, his eyes twinkling.

'You can stop your legilimency now Albus,' growled Amelia. 'Unauthorized use is still illegal under law, if I thought for a moment you were actually trying to read my mind, I'd be forced to try to arrest you. Neither of us needs that complication right now. And interesting you immediately think of Snape. You are aware he is incapable of teaching a fish to swim then?'

Albus hid his shock at being caught well. Very few people could detect his intrusions in their mind like that.  
'That is rather harsh, Amelia. I have the fullest confidence in Professor Snape.'

'And I have lost my patience. Dammit Albus, do you even realise that ever since Snape has been the only Potions teacher here, the size of the N.E.W.T. Potions class has dropped from nearly forty to just ten percent of all students? And virtually all of them are from the Slytherin House. We have not had a single Potions graduate from Gryffindor since William Weasley.  
'The man is insulting people in his classes, as well as their parents. That is unacceptable, and I will not waver on this.  
'Besides, I have also received complaints about Professor Binns – again, complaints about Professor Burbage, and about Professor Quirrel.'

She explained what her source had written. Albus just smiled.

'I cannot do anything about poor old Cuthbert, and you know that Amelia. He is a distant relative of Helga Hufflepuff, and I literally cannot exorcise him from the school his ancestor built. The wards themselves protect him.  
'And you cannot deny he is knowledgeable.'

Amelia had to grumble her assent there.

'As for Professors Burbage and Quirrel, the issues are related I think. Quirinus was an excellent Muggle Studies teacher, but when he returned from last year's holiday he refused to teach the subject again. Charity was kind enough to step in last year, and had no objections continuing the course.  
'It is hardly her fault that sinister forces have forced the General Studies class on Hogwarts,' Albus smirked.

'I happen to think that General Studies is an excellent idea Albus, and only wished it had been introduced decades earlier. Very well, as long as you can promise that Professor Burbage will do her best to study actual Muggles as soon as she can, I'll allow it. But do help Professor Quirrel get over his stutter please, and inspect his curriculum!'

The Headmaster agreed, and a not pleased Amelia Bones left. Dumbledore called in Snape later that day.

'Severus my boy, I have received a complaint about you –' began Dumbledore, but Snape interrupted him, spittle flying from his mouth.

'Black! I told you Dumbledore, I told you the evil git sent his son here to torment me. Surely you didn't take his whimpering at face value?'

'Calm down Severus! It was not Black, that Dark Wizard is back in Gibraltar.  
'No, Madam Bones came here. Did you say anything to her niece? You are aware that Amelia has raised Susan as if she were her own daughter?'

Snape paled. That lousy Black spawn had riled him up so much, he couldn't think straight, or he would have let the Bones bint be.

'I see you realize what I am talking about, dear boy,' Albus continued. 'I must make this an official warning, Severus. If you are caught insulting a student or a student's family in class again, I must suspend you from teaching. The Board will rally behind Amelia if she forces the issue, but she's not our only opponent at this time.  
'The ICW is trying to force changes on us once more. I must ask you to quell your pride, until I can deflect their inquiries fully.'

Snape was furious, but vocally agreed. He knew that Black was behind this somehow. So he could not do anything to the Black spawn in class? Let him feel safe, his time would come.

* * *

Breakfast on Monday had Hedwig return with a letter for Hermione from her parents, no reply from Madam Bones for either Harry though.  
Hermione would not tell him what her letter or her parents' reply was about, and was a bit aloof during Transfiguration class. Ron Weasley was making fun of Harry and Hermione as he spotted them sitting at the same table again, at least until Professor McGonagall deducted Points from him.

And later in Herbology Malfoy began acting up again, although he did not attack the two directly. There were a lot of comments from the Slytherin side about how filthy mud was, at least until Harry caught Draco's eye and glared at him.

Wednesday Harry tried to broach the lingering issue, during the idle time before Astronomy late that night. He waited until they were relatively alone, the other firsties busy in other parts of the Common Room.  
'Hermione, about last Friday...' he hesitatingly began, 'I didn't mean to, well, go too fast?' he weakly ended with a half question.

Hermione looked up from her book, 'Harry, what on earth are you talking about? Susan? It's none of my business if you want to talk to her.'

Harry blinked, 'What? No! I mean our kiss?'

'What kiss?' Hermione stared at him, and Harry was wondering if she was making fun of him a bit.

'Ooh Harry, are you going to kiss Hermione now?' Lisa Turpin plopped herself down next to Hermione, followed by Padma Patil.

'What's happening here?' Michael Corner joined the rapidly swelling group.

'Harry is going to kiss Hermione,' Padma said with a giggle. Hermione was sitting there mortified, and Harry was not doing much better.

'Oi mate, good on you! Slip her some tongue, birds like that,' Steve piped in.

'Dammit guys, I was just trying to have a chat with her!' Harry jumped up, annoyed, 'what is with this stupid girlfriend/boyfriend stuff? Just because I like spending time with her doesn't mean I am her boyfriend!'

Hermione looked pained at that, and Harry quickly sat down again, 'but she is a very good friend. Just stop with the teasing okay guys?'  
He got some half-hearted affirmations, and that settled it for now.

Thursday came the first flying class, in place of General Skills that week. Hermione was so nervous it was grating, she spent all of breakfast loudly quoting from a library book called _Quidditch through the Ages_, much to the annoyance of everyone else. Even Harry nearly lost his patience, but suffered through it since he didn't want to risk losing his best friend over something so trivial.

At two that afternoon the Ravens assembled outside, finding that the Hufflepuffs would share the class with them. This had been deliberately scheduled so as to keep the more troublesome houses, Gryffindor and Slytherin, in the smallest group. Harry mentally debated the wisdom of putting people like Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy in the same class though.

It was a clear, breezy day, and there were twenty-two brooms lying on the field for them. Most of them looked extremely old, so Harry quickly grabbed two that looked okay, one for him, and one for Hermione.

Madam Hooch, the teacher, arrived.  
'Well, what are you waiting for?' she yelled. 'Everyone stand over a broom, come on, we don't have forever.'

The class scrambled to do so.

'Everyone stick out their wand hand, and say "Up!"'

'UP!' shouted the kids.

Harry felt his broom slam into his hand almost at once, but he was one of the few. Hermione's had simply rolled over, and Mandy's had not moved at all.

'Don't be scared of it Hermione,' he said to his neighbour. 'If you fall, I'll catch you.'

Hermione shot him a graceful smile, and again said 'Up!' This time, the broom slowly rose until she had it in her hand.

The teacher then showed them how to sit on a broom and walked up and down the rows, correcting their grips. Hermione was mortified at the thought of not being able to sit side-saddle, as a proper lady should (she had never ridden a horse, but her _romantic novels_ all implied a proper Lady did so), but none of the other girls seemed to have objections so she just placed the wooden rod between her legs and held on as best she could.

'Now, wait for my whistle, and then kick off from the ground, hard,' said the teacher. 'Keep your brooms level, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forwards slightly. Now – three – two – one!' She blew the whistle.

One by one the students rose gradually into the air. Harry felt more alive than ever before, flying was great! And he had not even done much yet!  
Hermione was not that fond of the sensation. Feet should be properly secured to the ground at all times, she thought.

'Excellent, well done all!' said Madam Hooch when they had returned to the ground.  
'Now when I blow my whistle, we will all rise up again, and then slowly fly towards the Quidditch Pitch. If I catch anyone racing, they are out of this class, understood?'

And so the lesson continued. After half an hour anyone who wished to could land and watch from the spectator stands, the others were allowed to fly free within the stadium. Hermione went to the stands, and watched Harry fly as if he had been born to do so.

'He's really good,' remarked Roger Davies, a third-year who was watching the firsties try out to Hermione, 'if he keeps that up, he should try out for Quidditch in a year or two.'

Hermione hoped Harry never would. From what she'd read on Quidditch, it was a suicidal sport.

All too soon for Harry and the other aficionados, the hour neared completion and they had to return to the field.  
As they were leaving to head back to the castle, Harry accidentally bumped into a Gryffindor, on his way down to his own flying class.

'Watch your eyes, _Black_,' Ron Weasley spit at him. 'Too busy ogling yer ugly girlfriend to see where you are going?'

'Watch what you say about Hermione, you inbred pauper!' yelled back Harry. He had learned from his year mates that the Weasleys were a Pure-blood family, but a very poor one.

Ron fumed. 'I challenge you to a wizarding duel, Black! You and me, tonight in the Trophy Room!'

'I refuse,' said Harry blandly. 'Ask me again once we've both learned some spells. What, did you want to cast _Lumos_ at me?'

Amidst laughter of the other Ravens, Harry left a spluttering Ron standing behind.  
Ron was almost late to Flying Class.

They would learn that poor Neville had had an accident during flying class that day, and somehow Ron Weasley had ended up in a kind of broomstick race with Malfoy. The rumour was actually that Ron had been made the new Gryffindor Seeker!

That Friday, Potions class came again. Amazingly Snape did not insult Harry even once, instead he just ignored him. It was a tolerable class overall, but Harry noticed Hermione had been looking rather pale all day, and looked to be in pain. She just brushed him off when he offered to escort her to the Hospital Wing, saying she would go on her own. Morag, the oldest girl in their year, seemed to know what might be up and offered to take Hermione.

Harry was left on his own, which apparently made Susan Bones think it was safe to approach him later in the library. She was scared of Hermione's rather bipolar behaviour at times, and was afraid any time she came close to Harry Hermione would think she was planning on poaching him.

'Harold, I heard back from my auntie,' the red-head said as she came up, her best friend Hannah in tow. 'She had a talk with Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Snape on Monday, and Snape was given a warning. I think he'll leave us alone for now.'

'Thanks Susie. Oh and please call me Harry, everyone does. Thank your aunt for me okay?'

His homework done, he went outside to play some sports with Terry and Steve. As they were descending the stair well, a running pair of Weasley twins slammed into them, rushing down from the forbidden third floor.

'Giant evil...' '...three-headed dog,' the Weasley twins said. Apparently they had picked the lock to the forbidden door, and nearly got their heads bitten off. Needless to say the Ravens were smart enough not to enter that corridor.

* * *

Story Recommendation: **The Weasley Plot** by loralee1. Story ID is **2881749**. Show this tale about a thinking Arthur Weasley some appreciation.


	16. Cooling down

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Cooling down**

Hermione received another package from home over the weekend. She remained a bit distant from Harry the next few days, but soon enough everything seemed all right again, even if she avoided the question when Harry asked her what had been wrong. Morag MacDougall eventually came to her rescue, telling Harry it was a _girl thing_, and he finally dropped the issue.  
Harry earned thirty Points over the next few days in classes, which permanently seemed to get him out of hot water with his House. Hilliard had actually congratulated Harry Wednesday on doing a good job making up for the Points loss, Ravenclaw was now in second place, just a few points behind Hufflepuff.  
Slytherin had yet to recover, even with Snape's blatant cheating.  
As for Snape. Despite the confirmation by Susan Bones that Dumbledore had gotten warned by her aunt Amelia, Harry was not at all confident the greasy git would be able to look past whatever differences he had with Sirius.  
Fortunately Harry would not have Potions until Friday.

'Harreeeeee... do you _love_ Hermione?' a giggling Lisa and Padma asked the young wizard Wednesday evening as the firsties were killing time before Astronomy Class. Hermione was looking on, mortified.

'L– L... Love? Wha?' Where did that come from? Harry gaped like a fish, then felt a blush creeping up.

'Oh Merlin you do love her!' yelled Lisa, 'Look Pad, he's blushing!' The five first-year girls (minus Hermione, who looked like she wished she could cast an invisibility charm) descended into a mess of giggles and laughs,.

'Harry and Hermione, sitting by a tree, Kay Eye Ess Ess–' began Steve in a sing-song voice, a mischievous look on his face, but then he saw Penny Clearwater glaring at him.

'Don't make me assign detention to someone of my own House, Mr Cornfoot!' said Clearwater, once she had his full attention. 'As for the rest of you, if you can't stay quiet go back up to your dorms before you have to leave for Astronomy! Some of us are trying to study for our OWLs or NEWTs, you know!'

Chastised, the kids settled down again as they waited for the time to leave for the midnight class.

* * *

Potions on Friday was tolerable, Harry thought later Friday afternoon. Snape had hardly said a word all class, he had just written down the instructions on the board, and spent the rest of the class glaring at Harry. Harry could work with that.

That Saturday were the Quidditch trials. Harry joined the hopefuls at the Quidditch Pitch, wishing to try out for both Chaser and Seeker, with a nervous Hermione and an enthusiastic group of year-mates cheering him on.  
Hermione had been lecturing from various Quidditch-related books all morning, so Harry was happy when he could finally grab one of the school brooms and line up on the pitch.

Quidditch Captain and Seeker Martin Tofty had to let him down though. 'Chasers to my left, Beaters to my right, anyone up for Keeper?'

'What about Seeker?' asked a second-year girl, Cho Chang.

'My position is not up for grabs honey, this is my last year and I'm going to get the Cup this year,' was the reply. 'No Keepers? Okay, Beaters to the far goal, see how good you can handle a bat. As for you Chasers, group up. You're going to run an obstacle course designed by yours truly, while passing the Quaffle.  
'You there,' he suddenly said, focusing on Harry, 'off my pitch. No firsties allowed.'

'But I just –' Harry began, to be interrupted by third-year Roger Davies.

'Let it go Harry, I know you can fly but Martin is right, there hasn't been first-year on a Quidditch team in decades. Get yourself a good broom, and try again next year, okay?'

Reluctantly, Harry left the field. Hermione looked relieved her friend would not join the suicide team just yet, the other firsties were sympathetic with him.

The next Thursday, Hedwig and another owl came flying in at breakfast, carrying a medium sized box. They went directly for Harry and Hermione, who were sitting next to each other as usual. Harry went to untie the box, but a loud _prek_ by Hedwig stopped him.

'It's for you 'Mione,' Harry read the label.

'Oh!' the young witch gulped, and untied the box from the owls, taking a letter tied to it.  
'It is from my parents. Hedwig and the other owl just showed up last night, just as they were looking into a way to send this to me.  
'How did you know you were needed Hedwig?' she asked the owl.

Hedwig puffed her chest, and looked extremely proud.

'I have the best owl ever,' said Harry, stroking her feathers, and fed her and the other owl some bacon.  
'What's the package for 'Mione? More books?' he added in teasing tone.

'Oh, it is my birthday gift,' said Hermione in as distracted tone, as she was reading the letter.  
'I _told_ them in my last letter it would be fine to wait until the Christmas break, but Hedwig seemed to believe I did not need to wait.'

'It's your birthday?' Padma blurted out, 'Why didn't you tell us?'

'Hmm? Oh, it's just another day is it not? I don't see what the big deal is, it is a private matter,' replied Hermione, still reading.  
Harry felt a little hurt. She had not even been intending to tell him?

'But... but it's your birthday?' Padma was looking at her dorm mate, confused, an expression shared by many of the others at the table.

'Harry, thank Hedwig for me will you? I want to drop this off at my bed,' said Hermione, standing back up. She was getting somewhat annoyed by the sudden attention, and mentally chastised herself for letting on that it was her birthday. It was not as if the day had ever been really celebrated, and she certainly didn't want the trouble now. She had tried holding birthday parties back in the 'old school', but after three years of disaster she and her parents had given up. It was much better to just ignore the day, she had eventually convinced herself, and Harry's insisting on it was annoying her. Without even a glance back, she picked up the box and left to return to the Ravenclaw tower.

'But I wanted to get you a gift,' said Harry to nobody in particular. Who on earth didn't tell their friends when their birthday was?

'Mental mate,' Steve said, as he saw Harry was looking after Hermione's retreating form.  
Hermione brushed off all remarks about her birthday the rest of that day, apparently not caring about it at all.

* * *

Harry mirror-called Sirius that evening.  
'And she said she didn't even care dad,' he whined, 'I didn't even have time to get a gift for her.'

'It doesn't sound like she was expecting something son, but did you have something in mind you wished to give her?'

'Merlin I have no idea. Help me dad?'

'Leave it to your awesome father, I'll send you a good gift for her tomorrow morning by express owl post. A late gift is better than none at all.'

Harry thanked his dad, and went back to sleep.

An unknown owl arrived the next Saturday with a package for Harry. He opened it at the breakfast table, taking a wrapped package from it.  
'Hermione? A little late, but I did want to get you something for your birthday,' he handed it to her.

Hermione had a little confused look, but opened it, to reveal a Makeup sample set.

'Good idea Black, get Beaver face something to cover her face with,' came a sudden shout from behind them. Ron Weasley, flanked by Seamus and Neville, had walked over to the Ravenclaw table as Harry received the package.

Hermione had been looking at her gift with a contemplative expression, but at Weasley's cruel face she froze, grabbed the gift and her bag, and ran off. The other first-year girls scrambled after her.

Harry was furious. How dare he?  
'_Vete al carajo!_' yelled he, and jumped up, fist ready to swing, but before he could hit the git one of his least favourite voices sounded.

'_Black_, fighting again? Twenty Points from Ravenclaw,' said Snape, who was the first Professor to arrive at the table.  
'Mr Weasley, it would be best if you do not get near this brawler. Back to your own table.'

Weasley headed off smirking, and a fuming Harry sat back down. Snape was so unfair!  
He could not find Hermione after breakfast, so just headed outside with the other boys to play some. It was October so could get cold soon enough, and they wanted every chance they could get to enjoy the weather.

Once they got tired from that they went back inside. Hermione was reading a book in a seat near the fire, and Harry sat down next to her.  
'Ron's an arse, don't let him get to you. I hope you like the gift regardless,' he said, trying to catch her attention.

'It's the thought that counts Harry,' said Hermione, not looking up, 'it's not very useful is it? But thank you for trying.' She felt conflicted. On the one hand getting a gift from Harry was nice, on the other, Ron's mean remarks had hit uncomfortably close to home. What if he really did only give her makeup because he felt she ought to be more presentable? He had almost kissed her a while ago, and she still didn't know what to think about _that_ either.

Harry did not know what to think of her reply.

* * *

Classes started picking up, and they had to spend more and more time practising spells, writing essays, and reading books. On top of that, the fourth and sixth year Ravenclaws had begun mandatory tutor sessions for the first- and second-year students in almost all their subjects, leaving relatively little time for the students for themselves outside of the weekend.

Harry had a real talent in Transfiguration and Charms, and was usually one of the first to get a spell or charm right. Even DADA began to become a little more interesting: Quirrel was still stuttering but had actually begun to show teach them some spells such as the Curse of the Bogies, which caused someone to have a runny nose.

Strangely enough Hermione seemed to glare at him some times whenever he was faster at a spell than she was, but when he confronted her about it she only seemed to get angry.

'_Honestly_ Harry you're imagining things,' huffed Hermione. 'I was just wondering why Professor McGonagall didn't seem to notice your tea cup still had slight fur on the handle.  
'Yes you were the first one to perform the spell, but it was not very good. You're lucky you got _any_ Points for it.'  
The stress of a new school was slowly getting to her, as she noticed she was a little bit ostracized even by her fellow Ravenclaws over her eagerness to always be first in class, except for Harry. And she was not sure what to think of him, on the one hand he seemed to genuinely care for her friendship, but what if it was all a front as she feared? It would not be the first time someone tried to _befriend_ her only to betray her later. Plus, she was not used to not being the teacher's pet. Harry being simply better – no, just faster – in class was simply not _fair_.

Potions was no fun, but Snape seemed content to just glare at Harry all class. Harry would take angry glares over actual insults any day. He felt it was not worth complaining to his dad about.

The last week of October some interesting columns by Rita Skeeter began to appear in the Daily Prophet, focusing on the ICW's enforced changes in the Hogwarts curriculum. The overall message was that Dumbledore was a stubborn old man who seemed to be content to let the children suffer to placate his own ego.

Thursday was Samhain, one of the most important celebrations in the Wizarding World, and at breakfast it was announced there would be a great feast at dinner.  
That morning in Charms class, Professor Flitwick had just shown them the Levitating Charm.  
'Now don't forget your wrist movement!' squeaked their excitable Head of House.  
'Swish and flick, swish and flick. And clearly pronounce the words, _Wingardium Leviosa_. Did I ever tell you about the wizard Baruffio, who made the error of saying 's' instead of 'f'and found himself crushed under an angry buffalo?'

The charm was probably the hardest one they had tried yet. Harry and Hermione swished and flicked, but the feather didn't seem to want to go anywhere.  
_Focus Harry,_ he told himself, and tried once more.  
'Wingardium Leviosa!'  
Slowly his feather rose, hovering about four feet above the desk.

'Oh well done!' said Professor Flitwick, and he clapped his hands. 'Everyone, look! Mr Black has done it!'

Hermione glared angrily at Harry, confusing the young wizard. What was her problem? First she ignored him for a week for a fight with Malfoy, a fight basically over her honour none the less, then the weird stunt with her birthday – she had not used the make-up kit at all as far as he knew, and had refused to talk about it when he tried – and now she was angry he was doing well in class?  
After the class ended, Harry grabbed Hermione by the shoulder before she could run off. He waited until their classmates had left, and then confronted her.  
'What the hell is your problem 'Mione?' Harry angrily blurted out, 'You've been glaring at me all class!'

'_Must_ you show off all the time Harry! Can't you let me be first even once in class?' Hermione yelled at him. All the frustration of the past week came to a forefront, and the words left her mouth before she could stop them.

'Oi Black, the Beaver is jealous!' intervened Ron Weasley's unwelcome voice. At that Hermione pushed Harry away hard, and ran away. Harry thought he saw tears begin streaking down her face. He had not realised Weasley was also hanging behind.

'There goes the little nag, let her go. You're better off without that nightmare,' Ron said.

'What the hell is your problem Weasley? Must you be a stupid git all the time?' Harry was hurt by Hermione, but Weasley was definitely not helping.  
'Hermione is ten times the witch you are, idiot!'

'Take that back Black!  
'Are you man enough for that Wizarding Duel now Black, or are you a coward like your evil father?' sneered Weasley.

'That's it Weasley! All right, a duel tomorrow afternoon, after classes end!' Harry replied, glaring the red head down.

Hermione did not show up for DADA that afternoon, and also skipped lunch and General Skills. Harry tried to find her before the Samhain feast, but found she locked herself in one of the upstairs bathrooms all afternoon. Harry felt miserable.

* * *

A/N: _Vete al carajo_ – more or less 'go to hell'. Very rude.

A/N 2: An explanation for Hermione's behaviour will come in a few chapters, after the Hallowe'en feast. I ask you for your patience.

A/N 3: some heavy edits on 03-08.


	17. Samhain

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Samhain**

The Great Hall was decorated with floating pumpkins holding candles, what appeared to be live bats were flying around – Snape must've felt right at home, Harry thought as he entered – and the ceiling had been temporarily charmed to show deep clouds instead of the actual outside sky.  
If Hermione had been there to celebrate it with him, he would have really enjoyed the decorations.

'Black, is your father going to give another Yule party this year?' asked Cho Chang, a second-year in Harry's House when he sat down at the Great Hall table with his mates. Cho had noticed Harry was seldom away from Hermione, but now he was sitting alone, with Hermione nowhere in sight.

'I don't think so... Cho was it? But we'll probably be going to the Malfoy party again. Ugh,' Harry frowned.

'Oh that's a shame Harry,' Cho placed her hand on his sleeve, 'I really liked last year's party when you danced with me. You are a sweety. Maybe we can dance some more soon?'

_What the hell? _thought Harry. He had hardly gotten any attention from girls so far, but now several of them were hanging over him, even Lisa was smiling at him now. Was it all because he and Hermione had had another fight?  
'Erm, we'll see Cho... I think Hermione has first dibs though,' he tried to joke.

As Cho frowned a bit at that, Harry decided to just focus on the food, and the rather bad joke Steve was telling the boys about a witch with a broom that would not fly, but just vibrated in place.  
Just as he was helping himself to a jacket potato, Professor Quirrell slammed open the doors, sprinting into the Hall with his turban slightly off-set and a terrified face. Everyone watched as he ran to the the High Table, and gasped at Dumbledore: 'Troll, in the dungeons, thought you ought to know.'  
Quirrell collapsed to the floor in a dramatic faint.

The room panicked. Trolls were some of the most dangerous Beasts wizards were likely to encounter, and would eat a Hogwarts student in a second. Professor Dumbledore restored order by firing firecrackers from his wand.  
'Prefects, lead your houses back to their dormitories imediately!' the old wizard said.

Hilliard and Clearwater stood up, 'Follow me,' Hilliard said, 'Everyone together now! No need to fear the troll, just stay close. Everyone back to the tower!'

The firsties got in line, and followed after Hilliard. Then Harry had a horrible realisation. Where was Hermione? Harry made a decision.  
'Hilliard! Hold up!' he yelled, running to the front of the Ravenclaw line.

'Black, stop making a noise,' Hilliard replied, 'get back in line. Whatever you want to say can wait until we're in safety.'

'But it's Hermione! I need to go get her!'

'Black, stop being a nuisance!' Hilliard stopped walking, and stared the firstie down. 'Your girlfriend is either in the Common Room, or out of danger. Now not another word from you or I'll sign you up for detention with Filch.'

'But –'

'Last warning Black, shut up.'

Harry's face fell, and he let the Ravenclaws walk past him. Nobody seemed to want to say anything in his defense.  
Harry ducked behind a statue when nobody was looking, then waited until Penny Clearwater and the other two Prefects whose name he still didn't remember that were closing the line of firsties had passed. If nobody would help him, he'd rescue Hermione himself.

Harry rushed back to the stairwell, and ran two stairs up to the second floor. Then he suddenly heard footsteps behind him. Quickly ducking behind a statue of a stone griffin, he saw Professor Snape skulk past him, going up to the forbidden third floor. What was the greasy bat up to?  
For a moment he wanted to follow him, then remembered what he was there for. Hermione.

From down the corridor came a foul stench, and Harry saw a twelve-feet tall grey monster shuffle down the corridor, carrying a huge club with it. Its head was tiny compared to the rest of its body, but its oversized gut and thick arms and legs more than made up for that. For a moment Harry thought he saw its sharp teeth glinting in the light, just as the troll pushed open a door and entered.

Harry snuck closer, and took out his wand. '_Colloportus_,' he whispered, and the Locking Spell closed and locked the door.  
_There, that will buy us some time_, Harry thought. Just as he began walking back down the corridor, he heard a high terrified scream coming from inside the room he had just locked.

'Oh bugger,' Harry said to himself, as he looked closer at the door, and saw an image of a witch on it. He had just locked the troll in with Hermione in the girl's toilet!  
'_Alohamora!_' he shouted the Unlocking Charm, and kicked open the door and ran inside.

Hermione Granger was curled into a tiny ball under the line of sinks near the far wall, looking so pale Harry for a moment feared she was already dead, but then she screamed again as the troll knocked a sink off the wall with its huge club. It was nearing on her.

'Oi, _kaki_!' Harry yelled, and threw a rock at the troll. The troll stopped advancing on Hermione, and slowly turned to Harry. It looked rather stupid, but at the same time extremely dangerous. It looked back and forth between the two children, and then apparently decided that the boy made for a better snack as it lifted its club, and with surprising speed smashed it against the wall where Harry's head had been just a moment before.

Harry had ducked under it, and ran past the troll to Hermione.  
'Mione! Take my hand and let's go!' he yelled at the girl, trying to get her to move. But the girl seemed frozen in fear.  
Meanwhile the troll had freed its club again, and again advanced on the kids.

'No!' Harry yelled, running to the middle of the room, to draw its attention away from Hermione. Even while running, he shrugged off his Hogwarts robe, to get better mobility.  
'_Mucus ad Nauseam_!' he cast the Curse of Bogies at the troll, one of the few curses he had learned this year. The troll sneezed and shook its head, but seemed otherwise unaffected.

'Think Black, think...' Harry muttered to himself, as he kept dodging the troll's wild swings, backing away simultaneously. Scrambling over a pile of wreckage, he hardly noticed his shirt got caught in some broken porcelain, as he had to roll away to avoid the club again. He was now shirtless, bleeding from minor wounds, but still had to keep fighting.  
Even though he had not been able to practise it yet, he decided to try one of the spells from the second-year book he had read.

'_Everte Statum!_' the advanced duelling spell left his wand, and hit the troll. This time the troll felt it, as it stumbled back and dropped its club. That was the opening Harry had been looking for!  
'_Diminuendo!_' he cast another charm from second-year, this time the Shrinking Charm. Before his eyes, the troll's club shrunk down to the size of a pencil.

'Gotcha you bastard,' Harry grinned stupidly. Casting spells above his year was extremely taxing, and he was beginning to feel tired. Then he realised the flaw in his plan, as the troll itself was still there. With a roar of anger at the loss of its club, the troll took a swing directly at Harry, and the last thing Harry saw was its meaty fist heading straight for his face. As he felt incredible pain, Harry heard Hermione screaming in fear, and then he knew no more.

* * *

Harry woke up and found himself in a white void. He touched his head, and felt no pain – felt nothing even. Harry looked down, and saw he was naked. 'Hermione? Anyone?' he called, confused. Harry took a few steps, and slowly the void shifted to take the form of... yes he recognised this! The void changed to the street of his home in Gibraltar, there was the little bakery, there was the pharmacy, and somewhere around the corner was his home. Everything seemed faded somehow though, not exactly black and white or greyscale, but all the colours were muted. There were no people or animals in sight, and the sky was not the expected blue, but still white as in the void.

'Okay, this is creepy,' Harry muttered, walking towards the corner since what was the alternative? But around the corner was not the Black villa, but a small cottage he had never seen before.  
'This isn't right,' Harry shook his head, and looked back. Gibraltar was gone, and now he was in some kind of village that looked like it was in England rather than Iberia. Harry began to get somewhat scared, 'Daddy? Help!'

Harry began to sob, where was he now? Just then two arms wrapped around him from behind, hugging him. 'Hush Harry, it's all right... you're safe my dear,' said a female comforting voice. Harry melted in the warmth of her embrace, then hesitatingly asked 'M –mummy?' and turned around.

The woman holding him was beautiful, with thick dark red hair that fell to her shoulders, a soft somewhat round face, and eyes that looked exactly like his. 'Hi again Harry,' she smiled at him, and Harry threw himself into another hug.

'Am –am I dead mum? What happened?' Harry held on tight, this was the first time he had ever seen his mum, and even if this was an illusion he would not give it up.

'You came close son, that goat-fucking tosser is risking your life just for his plans,' fumed the red-head. 'Oh, language Lily,' she admonished herself, then looked right at Harry and hypocritically added 'You're not to use words like that young man, you hear?'

'Lily? Your name is Lily?'

'Oh Sirius, what have you been doing,' Lily muttered, then back at Harry: 'yes Harry. I was Lily when I was alive, and I love you very much young man.' She kissed him on the head. 'You've grown up to be a fine young lad... even if Sirius really messed up with keeping you away from magic.'

'Mum? Why do you call dad Sirius?' Harry asked, confused.

'Erm...' Lily looked confused, then tried to say something, but no words came out. 'Come on! Can't even _I_ tell him?' she cried out to the sky, 'Bloody Janus... Harry, I can't tell you that now. We have only a little time left.'

'No! I want to stay with you mum, now that I finally found you!'

'Harry James, listen to your mother,' Lily frowned. _Harry James?_ Harry thought, _why didn't she use his real full name Harold Janus?_

'My dear Harry, you need to stop being so impulsive... use that brain of yours and _think_ before you act,' Lily rapped her knuckles on his head. 'I am so proud you're in Ravenclaw and were trying to defend your friend from a terrible danger, but please, in the future, try to avoid getting yourself killed?'

'Yes mum...' Harry yawned, why was he getting so tired?

'Oh Harry... always remember that I love you, as does James,' Lily smiled, taking him in her lap and letting him drift off to sleep. Harry's sleepy mind almost missed the last comment, but a part of him filed away 'Lily + James' for the future.

* * *

'Dad, did you explode a firecracker near me again,' mumbled Harry as he was waking up. His head hurt like hell, and he felt extremely weak. Then he opened his eyes, and saw he was lying in a bed with white linen sheets. Next to him was a chair, in which was sitting Hermione.

'Oh Harry,' she sniffled, as she rushed out of the chair and embraced him.  
'Madam Pomfrey! Harry is finally awake!' she yelled suddenly, releasing him again.

The matron bustled out of her office, directly towards Harry, 'you foolish boy, what were you thinking, playing with a troll like that,' she waved her wand and muttered some spells. 'You're lucky to be alive,' she shot a glare him.  
'Taking on a man-eating monster, and at your age... you're lucky that Professor Snape was passing by when he did, or you would not be here to tell the tale!  
'All set boy, now stay in bed while I get the Headmaster,' and she bustled out again.

'What... what happened Hermione?' Harry asked his best friend.

'Oh Harry, it's horrible,' sniffed Hermione.  
'When that troll hit you I thought you had d– died... and then Professor Snape burst through the door, and stunned the troll I thought it was okay, but then he said that –'

Hermione was interrupted by the entrance of their Headmaster. Professor Dumbledore looked at the Harry, a frown on his face.  
'My boy, I am very disappointed in you. What were you and your father hoping to accomplish by letting a troll enter the castle?'

'But Professor –' began Harry, but he was shushed by a wand movement from Dumbledore. Suddenly he found it impossible to speak, and it looked like Hermione had the same problem.  
'Professor Snape told me exactly what happened, Mr Black. It seems you are even more like your father than I feared when you began picking fights. No, it's pretty clear that you and your father have introduced the troll to the castle. How did you trick Ms Granger into cooperating with this?  
'We are all fortunate your plan backfired and your co-conspirator was trapped by the troll, which cost you your opportunity.  
'As of right now, you Mr Black are expelled from Hogwarts for behaviour unbecoming of a Hogwarts student.

'As for you, Ms Granger,' he stared down his glasses at Hermione, 'I was expecting more from you. A hundred House Points from Ravenclaw, and you will serve detention with me personally for the next two days.  
'I suggest you use these detentions to set your priorities straight. If you stay down the path of associating with wizards like Black, I am afraid there will be no place for you at this fine institution.  
'Am I understood?'  
Dumbledore waved his wand, and Harry realised he could speak again.

'Professor Dumbledore, sorry for being blunt, but are you senile?' The matron gasped at the disrespect shown towards the Headmaster, and Hermione looked on with open jaw as well.  
'What possible reason could I have for letting a troll enter the castle? How could I even arrange something like that?'

'The back entrance was opened, and the troll was lured in from the forest,' Dumbledore replied, an angry look on his face. 'Young Ms Granger was not seen all afternoon, and it was she who collaborated with your father to let the troll enter the castle. Professor Snape informed me your father was seen near the forest last week –'

'Last week!' Harry exclaimed, 'how long have I been out?'

'You've been unconscious for three days Harry,' Hermione sniffled, 'it's Sunday.'

'Thank you Ms Granger,' Dumbledore said emotionless, then continued, 'your friend Ronald Weasley admitted that he heard you discuss this plan with Ms Granger after Charms class the morning of the feast.'

'But– But that's not true! Ask Lisa, or any of the other Ravenclaws in our year!'

'Are you claiming Professor Snape is a liar, Mr Black?' Dumbledore asked in a cool tone.

'Yes I bloody well am! That _giri_ hates me and my dad, and as for mo-Ron Weasley, that git has had it out for me since the Sorting!'

'Enough!' Dumbledore yelled, loud enough to rattle the potions on the bed stand.  
'I have spoken to your classmates, and nobody knows where Ms Granger was asides from that she has skipped her classes. And you were most upset at being told to go to the Common Room, and instead snuck off to break into the forbidden corridor with your friend. That all confirms Mr Weasley's story and what Professor Snape found.  
'Poppy, administer a Calming Draught to Mr Black here,' he suddenly added in an aside to the matron. 'Ms Granger, say your goodbyes to your... _friend_ while you have the chance. Once the car arrives he will be removed from Hogwarts.'

Madam Pomfrey nodded her assent, and Dumbledore left. Hermione was crying uncontrollably, and Harry was raging with anger.  
'Mr Black, will you drink this vial or do I need to bind you?' she asked Harry, handing him a vial. Harry took a deep breath, and realised he could not win this fight right here and now.

'I'll drink it ma'am. Please, you have to believe me, it is not like Snape says...' and he drank it down.

'I'm sure it isn't my lad, it never is,' Pomfrey ignored him, as she guided Hermione over to another bed and handed her her own Calming Draught.

* * *

A/N: No idea when the next update will be. I was completely stuck with this story as I had written myself into a corner, so I decided to scrap everything from chapter 17's start onwards and rewrite the rest from scratch. Four chapters, 10000 words, which are now mostly useless :(

A/N 2: Just to be clear: **I am not abandoning this story.** I just found that after the chapter 20 I wrote, there was no real way to continue. In the past two weeks I have tried to write three different versions of ch21 and none of them worked, so I decided to start over from here, ch17.


	18. Homeward Bound

Even if you normally skip them, please read the A/N at the end.

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Homeward Bound**

Immediately after the interrupted Feast, the Ravenclaws were of course the first to notice that two of their number were missing. The Prefects had been called to a meeting with the teachers, but did not tell anyone what was going on – as ordered – so speculations ran wild.  
Steve, Mandy, and Su Li tried to go the Hospital Wing to see if their friends were there, but the matron denied them access.

Next morning at breakfast, Harry and Hermione were still missing, and the wildest rumours were going around. They had formed a Soul Bond and had gotten married; or the troll had killed and eaten both; or they had killed themselves in a suicide pact; and other nonsense.

'Attention everyone,' said the loud voice of Professor Dumbledore as he stood up. The entire Great Hall was focused on the geriatric wizard.  
'As you are no doubt all aware, last night a troll was released inside Hogwarts. I can assure you all it was taken down without any casualties, and the responsible parties have been caught.'

'What about Harry and Hermione?' called Steve, his young voice clearly audible to all.

'Patience is a virtue Mr Cornfoot,' Dumbledore admonished him, 'Ms Granger was slightly hurt by the troll as she was found outside of her dormitory. She will re-join the student body Monday morning.  
'As for Mr Black, he was responsible for the incident and is no longer a Hogwarts student. Now I trust all your questions have been answered, so no more talking and let's finish our meal before classes start!'

The murmurs started up again, especially among the first-year Ravenclaws.  
'I don't buy it guys,' said Steve, 'Harry bringing in a troll? Madness!'

'We should ask Hermione,' answered Lisa, 'she's a bit weird, but she knows Harry better than anyone.'

'Did you notice Snivellus isn't at the table? Do you think maybe we got lucky and the troll ate him?' said Mandy, causing Su Li to snort pumpkin juice up her nose.

'You're awful!' she said, with a playful stomp, 'don't you know monsters don't kill monsters? No I bet he's behind Harry's disappearing somehow.'

Over at the Gryffindor table, Ron Weasley felt like Christmas had come early. How lucky it was that Professor Snape had been the first to talk to him, and had given him instructions on what to say to get that evil Black removed!

'So yeah guys Black let the troll in, him and his dad, don't you know?' he was telling his captive audience.  
'The Beaver – Granger that is Neville, you idiot –' he added at Neville's questioning look, 'well she must have either been in on the plot, or he tried to sacrifice her in a dark ritual or sommat right? Why else would he have her around him all the time? She's horrible, and ugly to boot.'

On the Slytherin table, Draco was thinking before he acted for once. His cousin was annoying sure, but not someone who would just leave without a word. And the rumour that was slowly creeping up the tables that Harry had killed his Mudblood somehow was absolute nonsense. Draco decided to write his father.

On the Hufflepuff table, Susan Bones and Hannah Abbot caught the attention of don't-call-me-Nymphadora Tonks, who was worried about her cousin, when the two firsties were talking about Harry.  
'Girls, do you know anything Dumbledore didn't tell us?'

'Oh... err... no? Maybe?' stuttered Susan, as the seventh-year suddenly sat down across from them. She shot a panicked look to Hannah.

'Harry has been having problems with Professor Greaseball, and he's not here either, so I said to her it was really suspicious,' blurted out Hannah.  
'I know Harry a bit, and there's no way he'd get a troll inside Hogwarts.'

Tonks decided to write her mother that evening as well.

* * *

Two days later, Lucius Malfoy read again over the letter his son had sent. Dumbledore had expelled the scion of the House of Black, blaming him for somehow introducing a troll to Hogwarts? And supposedly aided by Sirius Black, who Lucius knew for a fact had been in Gibraltar the night of Samhain? It was time to contact his wife's cousin.

In another mansion in England, Amelia Bones read the letter sent by her niece. She too decided to contact Sirius Black, after a quick check with Minister Fudge confirmed the notorious playboy had been at a party in Gibraltar that evening rather than lurking around the Forbidden Forest.  
'Dumbledore, what are you up to?' she asked herself.

Andromeda Tonks also received an alarming letter by her daughter. Yes she was aware Sirius had somehow gotten a son and this son was now at school, but even if Sirius was indeed Dark as Dumbledore claimed, it was ludicrous to even consider that an eleven-year old boy had been involved with smuggling a troll inside Hogwarts!  
Deciding to set old family pain aside, she wrote a long letter to her estranged cousin.

* * *

Following Harry's waking that Sunday he had a quick lunch, until Professor Flitwick arrived in the hospital wing.

'Mr Black, Ms Granger... I must apologise,' the small man began, looking sad.  
'Professor Dumbledore overruled me. I for one am not willing to take Professor Snape's view as canon, and wanted to have a proper investigation of your actions and how you ended up in the bathroom, but with the Headmaster firmly on Professor Snape's side there is nothing I can do for now.  
'Ms Granger, rest assured I will make sure your education will not suffer for this temporary set-back, and I will try to prevent any nasty rumours.  
'Mr Black, if it will help at all, please tell your father I am willing to listen and conditionally lend my support.'

'Thanks Professor,' Harry said with a clipped tone, what good did 'sorry lad' do now? But he had to admit Flitwick at least was not openly against him, like Snape and Dumbledore were.

'Please sir, I do not trust the Headmaster alone with Hermione. Can't you take her detentions instead?' Hermione shot him a strange look in reply.

'What detentions?' Flitwick asked, and Hermione told him about the two sessions Dumbledore had planned.

'Mmm. Most peculiar, I don't believe the Headmaster has given any detention since his time as Transfiguration teacher... I will have a word with him. Ms Granger, you will not go to the Headmaster on your own. Now I am afraid you must say goodbye to your friend.'

Flitwick moved away to give them some privacy, and Harry took Hermione by the hands. 'Hermione, please don't cry,' Harry tried to console his friend, 'I am sure my dad can help out. Just... try to remain strong and optimistic, I'll be back before you know it.'

'Bu– but you've been expelled,' sniffed Hermione, 'I am _certain_ Professor Dumbledore won't let you return, because of the lies of that nas– of that horrib– of Professor Snape,' she cried again.

'Leave it up to me and my dad Hermione. I promise you, I will be back here before you know it.'

'Wh-why are you being so nice to me Harry? I'm so sorry for getting jealous of you in class,' Hermione cried again, 'but it's not fair! I was always the top student, and mummy and daddy expect me to be the top of my year or they'll be so disappointed in me.'

'I don't care about that Mione,' Harry held her, 'I know you're smart. So what if I am a little faster some times? I'll still be your friend, if you have me.' Harry kissed her on the cheek, then pulled away, both kids blushing heavily.  
'Hermione, promise me you won't go to detention with Dumbledore alone. Ask Professor Flitwick to accompany you if he insists. Please, trust me.'

Hermione, blushing heavily, nodded 'I will Harry. I don't deserve you as a friend but I'm glad to have you.'

After a hug goodbye Professor Flitwick escorted Harry out the front doors where his _guard_, Hedwig the owl, and his trunk were waiting. The guard was Professor Snape, who looked like he had just won the lottery. Professor Flitwick patted Harry on the back for encouragement then Snape made Harry walk – carrying his own trunk and the owl cage – to the carriage road. Harry was absolutely furious. How dare Dumbledore not only ruin his education, but his name as well? And what exactly was he planning with Hermione?  
To add insult to injury, Professor Snape had a look of superiority on his face as he made Harry wait near the road, while he was glaring at the boy.

A little later, a black automotive was driving up the road, kicking up clouds of dust behind it.  
The driver rolled down his window, 'Perfesser Snape I reckon?'

'Indeed,' Snape dryly replied, 'you're the Ministry driver then?'

'Right ye are mate,' the driver replied, as he stepped out. He had flaming red hair and freckles.  
_Probably one of Ron's family members_, thought Harry.

'Lionel Weasley, of the Derbyshire Weasleys, at yer service,' the driver confirmed Harry's suspicion with a mock bow, 'I'll take that ther' trunk then, you say yer fare-thee-wells.'

Snape just smirked at the young wizard, 'Good riddance _Black_, your presence won't befoul these halls any longer after today. Maybe something can be made of your _girlfriend_ after all with your _pugilist_ attitudes not around to corrupt her.'

Harry glared back, 'you'll get yours, Snivellus. I won't forget this!'

Snape laughed, and Harry dejectedly stepped into the car with Hedwig's cage. Before long the driver stepped back in, and turned the car around.

'Where are you taking me mister?' asked Harry in a dejected voice, his bravado leaving him.

'I'm ter take you to good old London, ye'll be pick'd up there,' the driver replied. Then he pushed a button, and a window that rose up obscured him from view of Harry.

The car drove past Hogsmeade and southward at immense speed, with trees and rocks and in some occasions cows seeming to jump away from the racing vehicle, then it made a sharp turn and they were on the A9 road. Now cars and trucks seemed to be jumping out of the way, as the car raced past places like Pitlochy, Bankfoot, and Perth, eventually making its way to the UK Motorway system.

* * *

Hermione was sobbing in the hospital wing all afternoon while Harry was being taken away, until the matron gave her a calming draught and sleeping potion. There was absolutely no reason to keep her in the hospital wing she thought, but Dumbledore had given specific orders she was not to leave until Monday morning.

* * *

The car transporting Harry arrived at King's Cross in London late that evening. Harry was a bit banged up from the rapid turns the car had been taking, and Hedwig looked even more rattled in her cage.

'London! Final stop,' said their driver, as he rolled down his window again, 'ye stay put and I'll see if yer folks are here.'

Just a bit later the door opened, and Sirius Black was standing there, looking furious. 'Harry? Are you all right?' Harry nodded an affirmative, and he stepped out of the car. Together they took his trunk from the back, and placed it on the sidewalk.

'Right guv, can I be off then?' asked the driver, who had lit a cigarette while the two men worked.

'Yes, thanks for bringing my son,' said Sirius. The driver left, and Sirius knelt down. Harry rushed into his father's arms, and cried.

'It's okay Harry, you can tell me what happened later. Dumbledore crossed the line here, he's not getting away with this.' Sirius hugged his son close. 'Head up kiddo. We're staying in the Leaky this evening, and tomorrow there is an interesting meeting. I swear, you'll be back at Hogwarts before the week is halfway through.'

* * *

A/N: I've listened to your reviews, and yes many of you had a point: I rather messed up this story by holding too much of Hermione's POV back, and she comes across as someone very different from what I have intended. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I do appreciate the critique.

Since I don't want to either scrap this story or do a full rewrite (at least not at this point in time), I've tried to explain Hermione better by introducing some of her POV in edits to chapters 2, 10, 12, and especially 16.

I can only promise to try to do better in the future, this is after all my first 'published' story. Thanks for sticking by it this far.


	19. All a Board

**Chapter Nineteen**

**All a Board**

'Alphard, that bastard has gone too far,' Sirius was pacing back and forth in the office of his barrister at DC&H Wizarding Law. Wizarding Barrister Alphard Howe had cleared his schedule for his major client that Monday morning. An upset Sirius and Harry had spent the evening at the Leaky Cauldron, and right now Harry was with his sometimes tutor, Narcissa Malfoy.  
'I can handle his sly attacks on me in the press, but using my son in a power play, destroying his education? Unacceptable!'

'Mr Black –' Sirius shot him a glare, 'Sirius, we can deal with the fallout easily enough. But maybe this is a blessing in disguise? Why did you want to send Harry off to Hogwarts in the first place, with Dumbledore running the school?'

'It's what his mother would have wanted Alf,' Sirius slumped down in his chair, 'I did a lousy job with the kid thus far so I can't afford to break this promise as well.'

'Be reasonable Sirius, you did a great job. Harry is a good kid, and I bet she'd understand you sending him to the Spanish or French school instead.'

Sirius had never told his barrister about Harry's true parentage, the official story was that Harry's mother had died shortly after childbirth, and for safety reasons her name was not public. Harry's birth certificate in the magical archives had been updated by the Ritual to show Sirius' name, and the fact that it now listed James Charlus Potter and Sirius Orion Black as parents was explained away as Sirius listing his best friend James as godparent, and someone making a mistake. The alternative, that James Potter was Harry's parent as well as Sirius being his parent, was of course considered absurd. Not that many people were able to see that certificate, Sirius had used his family connections to have it sealed.

'No Alf, Harry has to go to Hogwarts,' Sirius began pacing again, 'so we have to remove Dumbledore somehow. What are our options?'

'Sirius, you're asking for much,' Alphard said in disbelief, 'Dumbledore has been Headmaster since 1956. He has rewritten the Hogwarts by-laws, and there is no way he can be possibly removed unless you managed to get the Hogwarts Governors on your side!'

'Right! Perfect! That is our way in then!' Sirius jumped up, 'I know how to bring Lucius on board, and as he controls half the seats, so I just need to convince one other.  
'Who is on there that we can deal with?'

'One moment,' Alphard took some papers out of suitcase and began looking through them, 'Madam Longbottom is an option, she is mostly opposed to Malfoy, but is not a fan of Dumbledore either.'

'No, I know Augusta, and she's convinced I am Dark. Besides, her grandson is not exactly a friend of Harry's from what he told me.'

'Hmm... Frederick Fronsac is the best option. He's mostly neutral and seldom votes in the Board meetings, but if you can promise some better treatment for the portrait of his grandfather, the old Headmaster, he may be willing to back you.'

'Excellent Alf, I knew I could count on you. Can you set up a meeting for me with him today?'

* * *

A quick round of floo calls later, and Sirius was at the pompous wizard's home. Frederick Fronsac indeed just wanted an assurance that the portrait of his grandfather would get a more prominent place in the Headmaster's office, and in return would vote along with Malfoy. That would give Sirius at least seven of the twelve votes, enough to handle Dumbledore. Now he just had to actually get a Board meeting, so he went back to Malfoy Manor.

'Sirius, I trust things went well?' Narcissa greeted him as he stepped out of the floo. The two cousins had grown closer again following Sirius' return to Britain, and she was genuinely fond of the Head of her birth House now.

'Hi Cissy, yes, full success so far. Where is Harry?' Sirius looked less tense, although the anger was still in his face.

'He's out in the back yard, flying. I lent him Draco's broom. Why don't you go over there and call him in? I'll inform Lucius you've arrived.'

'Thanks Cissy, you're perfect,' Sirius grinned, and went outside. Only to nearly get a heart-attack, as he saw Harry take a near perfectly vertical dive from far too high, and nearly crash into the ground. At the very last second the broom veered off horizontally, and with a whoop of pleasure Harry shot off into the air again. Sirius watched Harry push the broom to its absolute limits, then placed his fingers in his mouth and whistled loud to get Harry's attention.

'Dad! Did you see that? I did it! A Wronski Feint!' Harry was all enthusiasm, a far cry from the morose young lad that had exited the car the evening before.

'I saw it Harry... nearly killed your old man,' Sirius pretended to be weak in the knees, then spoiled the effect by grinning widely. 'You keep amazing me kiddo, not many of your age are capable of such a stunt. Please be careful though, don't want you to smash your head in on the floor! That troll was enough damage for a life time.'

He immediately internally cursed himself for brining up the incident as Harry's face drew into a cloud. 'Erm, anyway, why don't you take a quick shower then join us in the foyer?'

'Right dad,' Harry replied, and as he put the broomstick away and headed inside, Sirius went to the foyer to speak with Lucius.

'Sirius, I trust you are well?' the silky-smooth voice of Lucius Malfoy greeted him as he stepped inside.

'As well as can be expected Lucius. Thank you for taking in Harold this morning while I had urgent business.'

'It's my pleasure, or I should say, our pleasure,' Lucius sent a small smile at his wife. He knew Narcissa was fond of Harold, and was rather lonely ever since Draco started school. But he, Lucius, wanted no more children.

'Thanks again. Now, before Harry joins us... tell me, how goes your attempt to get back in the Dwarfs' good grace?'

A frown spread over Malfoy's face. 'Not well at all. They still refuse to allow me to deal with them, which means I am barred from trading or investing France and Iberia. But you know this.'

The Malfoys were originally a French family of course, and in fact had come over to England following the start of the French Revolution, when the Bastille had been stormed and both the Muggle and Wizarding societies had collapsed into chaos. The Malfoys pulling all their gold from the Dwarf bank and placing it with their mortal enemies the Goblins had soured relations badly, and to this day no Dwarf wanted to deal with any of the 'betrayers', as they termed families like the Malfoys, Lestranges, and others who had fled in 1789 or the decade following, and had nearly collapsed the Dwarfen bank.

'Of course, of course,' Sirius replied, then looked Malfoy straight in the eye. 'So what would you say if I told you that House Black would be willing to sponsor you in making investments, allowing you to bypass those little runts in the Pyrenees?'

Malfoy raised an eye brow. 'I would ask what you want in return. Besides my gratitude, of course.'

'Of course.' Sirius grinned. 'What I want, is simple. I want Dumbledore out of Hogwarts – or at least censured. And Harry back in.'

'And how do you propose I – ah... the Board of Governors?'

'Indeed.'

'Indeed.'

* * *

Both men were smiling, seriously – no pun intended – freaking Harry out as he entered the foyer.

Later that day Harry and Sirius, accompanied by Lucius and Narcissa, flood to The Ossuary, as Bones Manor was called. Amelia Bones had offered to host the meeting as the Tonks and Malfoys were not on speaking terms.

They were the last to arrive, and found Andromeda Tonks already engaged in conversation with their host as they stepped out of the floo.

'Andromeda... you look... _well_,' opened Narcissa uncomfortably. She had not spoken to her sister in years, ever since Andromeda had been cast out of the family over choosing to marry a Muggleborn.

'Thank you Narcissa. You look like the Pureblood life agrees with you still,' countered Andromeda in a calm voice. Her eyes spoke a story of hurt over being betrayed by her own sister even if her voice was calm.  
'Mr Malfoy,' she simply said in lieu of greeting, then a small smile lit her face as she saw the Blacks. 'Cousin Sirius, and young Harry. Good to finally meet you in person.'

'Hey Andy,' Sirius smiled at her. He was glad to see her finally, she had rebuffed all attempts at contact in the years prior, taking after Dumbledore.

'He –hello Mrs Tonks,' stambled Harry. 'Tonks is a good friend of mine. At school I mean. Your daughter I mean.'

'Dear Nymphadora still introduces herself with her last name only?' Andromeda smiled at the young wizard, 'I thought I taught her better. It is nice to meet you Harry, Nymphadora told me nothing but good about you.'

'Welcome to the Ossuary Mr and Mrs Malfoy, Mr Black, and Harold of course,' spoke up Amelia. 'Why don't we head over to the sitting room?'

Once all were seated, Sirius took the word. 'Thank you all for coming. I was shocked, as you can imagine, when I suddenly heard Harry had been expelled from Hogwarts.'

Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unwilling to meet anyone's eye.

'A shock that turned to anger when I found the reason why. Harry took on a Troll at risk of his own life in defence of a friend, and what does he get in return? A plaque for special services to the school? A hundred House Points? No!' Sirius slammed his hand on the arm length of his seat, 'He gets expelled in thanks all because Dumbledore has himself convinced I am somehow "Dark"!  
'And worst of all, I am told my son is in the Hospital Wing unconscious, but am denied permission to visit him and have to wait hours for him to be sent to London – by car no less!'

'Yes Mr Black, we've all heard,' Amelia tried to calm him. 'Rest assured, no-one will come to snap Harry's wand as is procedure... as soon as my Susan contacted me with the rumours, I placed a hold on that order. Harry may be expelled _for now_, but his wand is safe until this has been confirmed.'

Sirius visibly calmed down some. 'Thanks Amelia, I knew I could count on you.'

'Well that is good news,' Andromeda spoke up, 'but what exactly are we all here for?'

'Well, for confirming Harry's wand is safe with Amelia, and as for you and the Malfoys... tell me Andy, are you still a Governor of Hogwarts?' Sirius smiled at his cousin.

* * *

'I hereby declare this session of the Hogwarts Board of Governors opened,' Augusta Longbottom said as the twelve wizards and witches were assembled in a back chamber of the Three Broomsticks Inn in Hogsmeade that Tuesday afternoon.  
'Mr Malfoy has called us to session, and I give him the word.'

'Thank you Madam Longbottom,' Malfoy said, 'my fellow governors, we need to deal with Headmaster Dumbledore. He is no longer acting in the best interests of the school.'

That got a reaction, with some of the more pro-Dumbledore members protesting. Augusta noticed that Andromeda Tonks, usually firmly one of his supporters, kept silent though.

'Let me clarify, how many of us were told about the troll incident this Samhain? Or the irregular expulsion and probation of a promising student?'

Seeing the blank looks on several faces, Lucius detailed the true story of that Hallowe'en evening, as Harry and Sirius had told him. He left out Snape's role though.  
'You see the problem I trust? Headmaster Dumbledore, the man we trust with the life and safety of our children, grandchildren, and other kin, is more interested in pursuing his feud with the good Mr Black, rather than making sure no wild trolls can invade the castle!  
'You will recall that Mr Dumbledore in his position as Supreme Mugwump and Chief Warlock has been the subject of unrelated investigations over the past few years that also question his priorities.  
'I ask you to consider a vote of non-confidence in the Headmaster, as it is becoming clear to me that the man is abusing his position in Hogwarts to further his own political agenda!'

There began a shouting match between Malfoy's people (Julius Parkinson and Alecto Carrow chief among them), and Dumbledore's cronies, until Augusta Longbottom shot a firecracker from her wand.

'Silence! There is a motion on the table. Everyone in favour of suspending Headmaster Dumbledore, raise their wand.'

Malfoy, Parkinson, Carrow and two other 'ex' Death Eaters raised their wand, giving them nearly half the vote. Andromeda Tonks also raised hers, and after a moment of hesitation, Fred Fronsac, who had been silent until then, also raised his.

'With seven votes, the motion passes. Was there further business at this time?' Augusta frowned at Tonks' and Fronsac's votes, but there was no sign of intimidation from the Malfoy camp. She was not all that happy with Dumbledore either, maybe Malfoy did have a point.

'One more thing Madam Longbottom,' Malfoy said, 'the irregular expulsion and probation of a Ravenclaw student should be overturned as there is no evidence he is guilty of what Dumbledore accused him of.  
'In fact, I recommend Mr Harold Black is given an award for Special Services to the school for protecting his class mate.'

'Mr Malfoy, those awards are the prerogative of the sitting Headmaster or Headmistress,' Augusta replied, 'but the motion on the expulsion of Mr Black stands. Everyone who votes for re-instatement, please raise your wand.'

This time not just Malfoy's crowd, Tonks and Fronsac raised their wands, but so too did Augusta herself and Lucinda Willis, another of the 'neutrals'.

'Motion passes with nine votes. Any other business? No? The board is adjourned.'

* * *

Sirius was in a good mood, as he sat at the bar of the Leaky Cauldron that Tuesday evening. Malfoy had informed him of the success with the Board, and Madam Bones had started a DMLE investigation on why the Ministry had not been informed of a Troll incursion in supposedly the safest place in Britain – in short, he was winning.  
Harry would be returned to Hogwarts the next morning, and Dumbledore should have just been told by Augusta as spokeswitch of the Governors, that he had been temporarily removed.  
Harry was asleep back at Malfoy Manor in a guest room , after a gruelling day of tutoring by 'aunt' Narcissa. Cissy seemed to really like Harry, even though he and her own son Draco were hardly friends.

Things were looking up: even his cousin Andromeda Tonks had acknowledged him, for the first time in years! Maybe with a little luck he could see if she wished to be brought back in the family. Everything he heard about little Nymphadora was promising, the girl was a natural metamorphmagus and had already been approved for a position in Auror training.

Then he nearly suffocated in his drink. Albus Dumbledore himself stepped out of the floo, and walked directly to Sirius at the bar.

'Mr Black, I believe we need to talk. Tom, is your back room free?'  
The old bartender nodded at the most famous wizard in Britain, and Sirius followed Dumbledore to the back.

'What's this about Dumbledore? Have you finally realised you are overplaying your hand here?'

'Oh no my boy, it is you that has made a mistake...' Dumbledore took out his strange elder-wood wand with a speed belying his age and pointed it at Sirius, 'Imperio. You will drink this Veritaserum, and then you will tell me all you know about The-Boy-Who-Lived.'

Dumbledore poured the contents of a clear vial in a glass, and Sirius felt compelled to drink it.

* * *

A/N: See? I haven't forgotten about the BWL... and neither has Dumbles.  
I had to spend a little time on other stories, but it seems my muse has found a way to tell me where this story is going again. The next chapter is halfway done :)


	20. Dog Days

**Chapter Twenty**

**Dog Days**

Sirius Black felt distanced from his body, as he slowly let Dumbledore guide him to a seat. Veritaserum on its own only forced one to answer questions, but the _Imperius_ on top of it also made it impossible for him to struggle and fight back.

'Tell me about the Boy-who-lived,' repeated Dumbledore, his wand still pointing at Sirius.

'The Boy-who-lived is a fairy tale invented by Albus Dumbledore,' said Sirius in a dead tone. Internally he was fighting against the Unforgivable with all his might, but Dumbledore was a powerful wizard, and held him under his thrall.

'Tell me about the one who defeated Voldemort,' Dumbledore tried.

'Lily Potter was a great witch. She married my best friend James Potter, and had the cutest laugh when she was happy,' Sirius replied. One of the tricks about beating Veritaserum was to answer only part of the question, or bring up as many inconsequential details as one could.

'Stop playing games Black,' Dumbledore nearly growled, 'how did Lily Potter defeat Voldemort?'

'She used Potter family magic. I don't know all the details of what she did to her child,' Sirius replied.

Dumbledore smiled, so the Potters had had a child? Suddenly a vague blocked memory surfaced, there was a Prophecy about One who would defeat the Dark Lord... Dumbledore staggered in his seat at the sudden rush of memories, dropping his wand. Sirius wasted no time as the control spell dropped, and changed in his dog form.

'What the–?' Dumbledore looked on in frustration, as he suddenly had a large black dog in the room with him. 'Animagus? That won't help you Black,' Dumbledore reached for his wand on the table, but Padfoot the dog jumped at him with a growl, and bit deep into his arm. Dumbledore screamed out loud from the unexpected pain, and the door to the room was opened.

'Mr Dumbledore? Mr Black? I heard screaming?' the publican asked, then as he saw a large dog attacking the most famous Wizard in Britain, quickly took out his own wand, '_Stupefy_!'  
A red bolt hit the dog in its side, and it slumped to the floor.  
'I am so sorry sir, I have no idea how it got in. Do I need to call a Healer?' Tom worriedly asked, rushing closer to Dumbledore.  
'Where is Mr Black? I didn't see him leave?' Tom looked around, confused.

'Tom?' Dumbledore waited until he got Tom's attention, '_Obliviate_. You didn't see this dog attack me. You saw Mr Black leave without having spoken to me. Go back to your bar, I will be out soon.'

The publican walked out dazedly, and Dumbledore looked again at Sirius. 'What to do about you my boy... what to do.'

* * *

Harry woke up in the Malfoy guest room, and found clean clothes waiting for him. He entered the attached bathroom for his morning ablutions, then went downstairs to the kitchen for some breakfast.  
'Good morning Aunt Narcissa,' he called to the Lady of the House, 'where is dad?'

Narcissa looked up startled, and Harry saw worry on her face. 'Harry... sit down please.'

'What's wrong? Where is dad? Did something happen?' Harry panicked.

'Harry... Sirius has been arrested last night. I am not sure as to the details, Lucius is at the Ministry right now trying to find out.' She noticed Harry looked even more worried, and took a plate of food from the counter her Elf had prepared. 'Don't worry Harry,' she smiled at him, 'my cousin is a lucky man who always gets out of trouble. You just worry about getting back to school now.'

Harry was worried sick, but ate his breakfast. When all was finished, he raised his voice again: 'Aunt Narcissa, when is Uncle Lucius coming back? I can't go to Hogwarts like this!'

'Harold Janus Black, you will go back to Hogwarts as planned,' Narcissa chided him. 'We will floo to Hogsmeade in half an hour, and if Lucius is not back with the news by then, you will simply have to wait for it at school. Your education is important young man!'

'Yes'm,' Harry mumbled. 'May I be excused?'

'Yes Harry,' Narcissa said with a small smile. 'Do stay inside, I'll send Dobby to come collect you when Lucius arrives, or we can leave.'

Harry left the kitchen, and went to the mansion's small Owlry, where Hedwig was staying, grabbing some parchment and a quill on his way. He wrote a quick missive to Madam Bones.  
'Hedwig? Can you do a quick delivery to Amelia Bones for me? I'll be at Hogwarts when you get back, so just find me there okay girl?' Hedwig barked an affirmative, and Harry tied the message to her foot, then watched her fly off.

'Masters Harry Black sir?' a small voice sounded behind him shortly after, and Harry turned to see a timid House Elf looking on from the door.  
'The Mistress is askings Master to be comings now,' it continued. Harry mumbled something in reply, and went to the foyer.

He found Lucius and Narcissa there, a worried expression on Lucius' face.  
'Harold, good to see that you are prompt,' his "uncle" started. 'We will be leaving for Hogsmeade in a few minutes.'

'Uncle, what happened to dad?' Harry asked, a small tremble on his voice.

'Sirius has been arrested late last night following an altercation in Knockturn Alley. I have not been able to find out the exact details yet, but rest assured Harold, he is physically fine, and I will do all I can to have him freed again as soon as possible.'

'But, but–' Harry protested, but was stopped by a gesture from Lucius' hand. 'Narcissa dear, can you take young Harold back to school? Harold, please give Draco my regards.'

'Yes uncle,' Harry replied in a small voice, then took Narcissa's hand as they stepped in the floo. He stumbled out of the Three Broomsticks' fireplace and was just barely caught by Narcissa's hand before he fell, then walked up to the school gates in relative silence.

Professor Flitwick greeted them at the gate, 'Mr Black, good to see you. Lady Malfoy, do you have his trunk?'

'Right here Professor,' Narcissa replied, taking her wand and tapping a small box she placed on the ground. It grew back to full size, and Harry's trunk was there.

'Wonderful use of the Shrinking Charm! If you were still in school, I'd reward you ten Points for it!' the diminutive man said in an excited voice.

Narcissa smiled in reply, 'you always were a favourite teacher of mine.' She then turned back to Harry, 'Harry? I will let you know the news as soon as I learn it. Now I don't want to see you again until Christmas, all right?'  
Harry nodded in reply, and Narcissa apparated away.

'Shall we then Mr Black?' asked Flitwick. He snapped his fingers, and a House Elf popped in, took Harry's trunk, then popped out again.  
'Just follow me to class, I am sure my fellow 'Claws will be happy to see you, a certain girl in particular,' he said as they were walking back to the school gates.

'Hermione? Is she... still safe?'

'The detentions you mean? They never happened Mr Black as our Headmaster was removed by the Board. I trust you know more about that hmm?'

Harry sheepishly grinned, the worry about his father ebbing to the back his mind as he looked forward to seeing Hermione again. And the others of course. And classes!

* * *

'Cornelius, thank you for making time to see me my friend,' Lucius' silky smooth voice greeted the Minister for Magic as he stepped into the weak-willed man's office.

'Any time for you Lucius,' Fudge answered. 'Now what did you wish to see me about so urgently?'

'My wife's cousin was arrested under mysterious circumstances last night, but I have been denied access to see him, and your Aurors could not tell me what this was about. Can you shed some light on this?'

'Black was arrested? I haven't heard that myself. But I am sure Amelia knows more.'

Amelia Bones was annoyed at being called up the Minister's office, an annoyance that grew even more so when she saw Lucius Malfoy sitting there.

'Amelia, glad you could come. Why was Sirius Black arrested, and where is he now?'

Amelia groaned, how on earth did he find out so fast? 'He is currently in the holding cells here Minister. He was arrested last night in a... disreputable bar in Knockturn Alley, after a bar fight.'

'What is he charged with?'

She took out a peace of parchment, and read from it. 'Use of deadly curses, as well as being an illegal animagus. The arresting officer was Kingsley Shacklebolt, and the person who called in the Aurors as well as the victim is one Mundungus Fletcher. When Shacklebolt arrived Mr Black was found in the form of a big black dog, later revealed to be his unregistered animagus form, and his wand was found to have been used to cast a cutting and blasting curse. The damage was found on a table where Mr Fletcher said he had been sitting.'

'What was Black's statement?'

Amelia looked, confused. 'That's odd, it's not in here. Auror Shacklebolt should have taken his statement before arresting him. But we have him red-handed on having cast potentially deadly curses, as well as being an unregistered dog animagus. The latter alone is a standard three-month sentence to Azkaban.'

'Thanks Amelia, you can leave,' Fudge dismissed her. Once she left the office, he turned back to his prime benefactor. 'Seems like a clear case to me Lucius. Are you satisfied?'

Lucius considered the facts. There was no reason for Black to be in Knockturn that evening, he had commented going out for a drink at the Leaky Cauldron, and why would he suddenly attack some unknown Wizard? But he _had _been caught in an illegal animagus form, so his goose, so to say, was cooked.  
'For the moment, Cornelius. I _would_ like to know more about why my wife's cousin apparently attacked this Fletcher, but that can be at a later date. As a favour to me, and to Mr Black of course, can you keep his arrest out of the press for now?'

'No problem my friend,' Fudge smiled. 'Now I had some questions for you...'

* * *

Hermione was sad and worried. Harry had not come back Monday, and she missed him in classes and outside. And that git Ronald Weasley had been taunting her with his absence all during Transfigurations. And now it was Tuesday, and Harry had again not been there for History of Magic. She was not looking forward to another hour with the Gryffindors, Professor McGonagall seemed to let most comments about Harry slide.  
It almost seemed like the Acting Headmistress was angry at Harry for some reason, as if she blamed him for Dumbledore being removed suddenly! Hermione admonished herself mentally for thinking bad of a teacher, but she had to admit she was not unhappy with not having to take the detentions. Professor Dumbledore scared her, in how he seemed to dislike Harry.

As she stepped into the classroom, she saw someone sitting at her desk –

'Harry! You're back!' she rushed forward, and hugged him from the side, throwing him down on the floor.

Harry, after initial surprise, hugged her back. 'I told you I'd be back Hermione,' he smiled at her. Then he leant forward, and placed a kiss on her lips.

'Oh my god!' yelled Lisa, as the other students walked in on two of their pair "snogging".

'Professor! Black and Granger are shagging in the classroom!' yelled Ronald Weasley's annoying voice at the same time, causing Harry and Hermione to jump apart.

'Thank you Mr Weasley,' the icy voice of the acting Headmistress came next. 'Mr Black, I see you are back. Have you already forgotten how to act like a civilized Wizard? Five Points from Ravenclaw. And that will be another five Points from you Miss Granger, and I am very disappointed in you,' she stared down at the two, as they scrambled back to their seat.

'Do I need to separate you both for class?'

'No ma'am,' Harry said in a small voice, heavily blushing. Hermione was too stunned to speak – she had just had her first kiss, and she felt really strange. In a wonderful way.

'Good. See that you keep your... affection to more... appropriate places. Now let's continue from yesterday. Miss Granger, assist your... boyfriend.'

* * *

Sirius woke up dazed, confused, and cold. He was in a damp dark room, and after a quick search saw his wand was not with him.  
'Hello?' he called out, getting no reply.  
The last thing he remembered was sitting in the Leaky Cauldron, then... nothing. What had happened to him?

* * *

Dumbledore was in his seldom used house in Godric's Hollow. The available members of the Order of the Phoenix had assembled there, except for Minerva McGonagall who was of course at Hogwarts, and Rubeus Hagrid, who was pretty much useless anyway.

'Thank you all for coming,' he began. 'The Dark has had a small victory in removing me from Hogwarts, but rest assured I will be back before long. Kingsley, Mundungus, thank you for your assistance last night.'

'Any time chief,' Mundungus smiled his toothless grin. 'Easiest job I ever had. The publican owes me a lot of moolah so will go along with what I tell him, and Shackie knew just what to do.'

The black wizard in question rolled his eyes. 'Don't call me Shackie, _Dung_. But yes Albus, I did just as you asked – one cutting and blasting curse with Black's wand, then I arrested him still stupefied. He should be off to Azkaban before the end of the day.'

'Albus, I am not happy with this,' spoke up Alastor Moody. 'Regardless of whether or not Black has gone Dark, how can you ship him off to Azkaban over nothing?'

'Nothing is it?' Albus stood up, and looked at the Order members. 'My friends... before I was forced to stun and obliviate Black, he revealed the name of the One we've been looking for this last decade.'

'You don't mean, the Boy-who-lived?' Remus Lupin stood up, and placed his hands on the table, 'who is it Albus? And where is he now?'

'Please sit back down my friend, this may be a shock. You see the Boy-who-lived is none other than the son of James and Lily Potter.'

As the Order members all seemed to speak up at once, Remus was hit by a rush of suddenly returning memories, and he vaguely recalled hearing Lily had given birth about a year before they had to go into hiding for Voldemort, but the details remained vague.

'Albus, did Sirius kill James' son when he betrayed him and Lils to You-know-who?' the werewolf growled, his hackles raised.

'That is unclear,' Dumbledore replied. 'But with Black in Azkaban where he belongs, we'll have all the time to question him further.'

'Just give me five minutes with that traitor,' Remus growled menacingly. 'What is left of him will he happy to sing any song we like.'

'All in time Remus, all in time. Now we should try to get a strategy going on getting Hogwarts back under control...'

* * *

A/N: As mentioned in earlier chapters. Pettigrew's arrest form was made to disappear by a Voldemort sympathiser, so Remus Lupin and others still think Sirius Black betrayed the Potters, even if this could never be proven. Dumbledore has done nothing to stop them from thinking this is the case.

Thank you all for the reviews, well over 200 now :). This chapter should make the story hit the 50k words mark!


	21. Back in School

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**Back in School**

Harry found it hard to concentrate on his lesson. Why had he kissed Hermione like that? Yes he was glad to be back at Hogwarts and it seemed like the logical thing to do at the time... he did like the feeling of her lips on his... but a part of him wondered if he kissed her because he wanted to, or because he always saw his father kiss his girls like that and he was just copying him. He shot another glance at his partner, and saw she was focussed on trying to change the block of wood in front of her into iron, as the lesson demanded. With little success so far, he critically noticed. Then Hermione caught his eye, and her blush deepened. Both looked away at the same time. Just as Harry mustered up the courage to say something, their teacher's voice sounded.

'Mr Black. If you were to pay less attention to your girlfriend and more to the class? Do you want a detention on your first day back? You should consider yourself very lucky to be back here at all. That will be five Points from Ravenclaw.'  
Professor McGonagall sounded annoyed. Harry was frustrated as well, it's not as if it was _his_ fault Dumbledore went crazy and had to be removed!

'If certain demented old people would just learn to think logically and listen to me for once I would never have been sent away at all,' he muttered under his breath. The loud gasp from next to him showed that Hermione heard him perfectly, and he saw she was struggling between admonishing him and giggling at the remark. In the end she opted for neither, and Harry finally began trying to change wood into metal.

–-

During Lunch the other male 'Claws in his year swarmed around Harry, and he hardly had time to eat from having to answer all their questions.  
'What Steve? No of course I didn't let the troll in. I don't know who thought that up, but that's absurd. I only was there looking for my Hermione.'

'_Your_ Hermione?' Steve's face brightened up as if he had just heard he had won the lottery. 'So you two _are_ dating! Hey guys, did you hear –'

Harry clamped his hand in front of Steve's face before he could call out further, 'I'll give you my last Honeydukes chocolate bar if you keep that slip of the tongue from the rest.'

Steve grinned, 'Deal, Casanova. Oh, and didn't you know? It was that Weasley git who started the rumours.'

'Weasley? Oh... _Ronald_,' Harry nearly growled. 'He'll get his, just you wait.'

–-

Following Herbology with the Slytherins, in which Harry had a brief chat with Draco and passed on greetings from Narcissa, the 'Claws went to the Common Room for their homework. Prefect Robert Hilliard awaited them at the door before they got settled though.

'Harry? I suppose I should welcome you back. Your trunk has been placed back in your room. Now for more serious matters, you managed to lose ten Points in your first class... I suggest you watch it. I understand your circumstances, but another day like this and you'll be on Probation. Am I understood?'

Harry nodded, and the firsties got to their homework. Harry was grateful for Hermione's help, she had made a kind of schedule for all the homework he had to catch up on. Just before dinner, they finally got some time alone.

'Err, Hermione, about, err –' Harry stumbled, wanting to discuss THE KISS but not sure how to begin.

Hermione wasn't much help, blushing hard: 'Erm, yes. It was... nice?'

'It was? It was!' Harry smiled at her.

Hermione took a deep breath, then let loose. 'So now that we are dating, we should schedule some dates. I think you should be the one to ask me out, it is only proper after all. Well perhaps a picnic would be nice, weather permitting, or we can do some quiet reading in the library together. I do not wish to go flying Harry so don't even think of that as an option. As for kissing... it is nice, but we should only kiss a little bit for now, after all we are awfully young. Statistics do say that over ninety percent –'

Harry goggled at her, as she continued rambling, listing trivia about – essentially – pre-teen dating that she had gathered _somewhere_, and ended up just agreeing with her about most things. He hadn't really been considering the consequences of _dating_ the manic bookworm... it was a good thing the softer side of her personality made up for it.

–-

Harry eagerly awaited news about his father, but Wednesday morning passed without news. Hedwig finally returned at dinner, carrying a formal note from the DMLE that the investigation was ongoing and that they would not comment on it further, plus a small hand-written scribble by Amelia Bones that she was sorry she could not tell him more yet. Hermione noticed he was a bit down, and did her best to cheer him up – and when her first idea of doing their essays together didn't prove to work, she just asked him about growing up in Gibraltar. Remembering that time did make Harry happy again.

Ron was being an annoying git again for their late night Astronomy class, but didn't count on Professor Sinistra's excellent hearing, and he got a ten Point deduction for interrupting class.

Thursday morning broke and with it Harry's spirits lifted some. Thursday meant no more classes with the Gryffindors until next week, so no more Ron. He got back into the rhythm during Charms class finally, and Professor Flitwick praised him, rewarding him ten Points, for being the first to get his twig to dance. Harry glanced at Hermione and saw her look at him with some slight envy, but she didn't say anything. When he offered to show her the proper way to twist the wrist to get the charm done, she actually smiled in gratitude and he gave her a brief kiss on the cheek.  
Professor Flitwick either didn't notice or didn't care – their classmates did, but then again they were widely considered to be dating beforehand and now that it was _official _it didn't change much.

–-

Sirius Black finally got a visitor Thursday morning, a tall and bald black Auror he did not know, accompanied by none other than the legendary Auror Moody. Sirius knew Moody from the Voldemort war, when they had both been in the Order.

'Mad-eye? Great to see your ugly face my friend. Tell me, what the hell is going on here?'

'Shut it Black,' growled Moody. 'You're in Ministry custody. Shack, read it.'

'Prisoner Black, you have been found to be an illegal animagus and have been sentenced to three months in Azkaban. This sentence will commence today. Now as for the additional charges –'

'Hold on a damned minute!' Sirius shouted in anger, and took a step towards the Aurors, but stopped in his track when he saw Moody's wand pointed at his head.

'Easy there Black. Let Shack finish before you do something even more foolish,' Mad-eye grumbled.

Kingsley Shacklebolt handed a piece of parchment and a quill to Sirius. 'This is a full confession. If you sign it, you will be out in three months and be able to get your son home for Christmas. If you don't... you won't like it.'

Sirius read the parchment. It was a cock-and-bull story that he had been in the Knockturn Alley bar to pay off a black market troll mangler, who had sent the troll to Hogwarts that Hallowe'en, that he had ordered the troll sent into Hogwarts to cause chaos so Harry could steal a certain something, and that he had tried to kill Mundungus Fletcher when Fletcher overheard his discussion.

'Is this a joke? Because if it is, I don't see the humour in it.' Sirius was more confused than angry. What could Dumbledore – and it was obvious old whiskers was behind it – be hoping to gain by this?  
'I demand to see my solicitor. You can contact them through Alphard Howe.'

'You'll demand nothing you dark wizard, just sign it and get it over with!' Shacklebolt looked angry, and Sirius wondered what delusion he was under.

'I am not signing anything! I have no idea what happened exactly, but I was _obliviated_. Send in a mind healer, send me my solicitor, or heck just let me speak to someone who does not have his head up Dumbledore's arse!' Sirius shouted back, then turned to Moody. 'Mad-eye, I have no idea what that manipulative old git has been telling you lot, but can't you see this is madness? Follow the damned law man, you're supposed to be the best Auror Britain has!'

'I'm sorry lad, really I am,' Moody replied, then cast a stunning spell at Sirius. 'Give it up Shack, he's not cooperating. Can you handle the rest? I feel dirty and need a shower.'  
Shacklebolt indicated he could handle getting Black to Azkaban with the help of someone else, and Moody left the room. He took a deep sip of his whiskey flask, and went back to his office. Black's words had hurt him. Yes, no question about it, what they were doing was wrong. He didn't know the exact details, but it was obvious Dumbledore had done something to Black to get the _confession_ about the Boy-Who-Lived out of him, and now wanted Black out of the picture.

Moody spend the next two hours getting more drunk and more morose, then looked at the clock. It was nearing lunch, so Shack would probably have delivered Black to the low security wing of Azkaban by now. The thought of one of his former partners-in-arms in that place proved to be the final nail in the coffin, and he walked over to his department head's office and knocked on the door.

'Amy? We've got to talk, off the record,' he grumbled at Amelia Bones once he stepped in. 'I'll hand you this now, you may want to take it from me afterwards.' As he threw his Auror badge on the confused woman's desk, he took a seat in front of her desk and began talking about his misgivings with Dumbledore and the Black case. Neither noticed a green beetle with glasses-like markings on its eyes was fluttering near the ceiling.

–-

Harry thought DADA was... boring, no other word for it. Yesterday's class had been boring as usual, with their nervous teacher droning on about how the best way to protect oneself from Vampires was by using Garlic and the solar light spell _Lumen Solis_, but this Thursday morning their teacher was not in the classroom when they entered. It was nearing eleven, and Steve and Kevin were openly talking about just leaving, when the door opened and Penelope Clearwater stood there.

'Everyone here? Good. Follow me back to the Great Hall please.'

'Penelope, where's Professor Quirrell?' asked Lisa, as the class scrambled to get their stuff.

'No idea Lisa, I was just sent to get you all. Classes are cancelled for the day.' With that non-answer, the Ravenclaws followed their Prefect to the Great Hall, which was filled with the entire student body as well as all teachers, except for their elusive Divination Teacher, and the still-absent Professor Quirrell.

'Everyone here?' Professor McGonagall stood at the High Table and cast a _Sonorous_ charm on herself. 'As you may have heard, classes are cancelled for the day. Every student under Fifth Year will be confined to their Common Room until further notice. Those students in Sixth and Seventh Year who are of age and are willing to assist the staff in a search operation, please remain behind.'

'What happened Professor?' yelled someone, Harry didn't know who, from the Gryffindor table.

'That is Acting Headmistress, Mr McLaggen,' said McGonagall in an icy voice. 'All you need to know for now is that one of our number is missing. Now, everyone back to your Common Rooms.'

The doors slammed open, and the groundskeeper Hagrid stormed in, 'Perfesser, Quirinus got past Fluffy he did... the wee beasty has wounds on all three of its heads!'

Rumours started up again, the knowledge of the Cerberus was pretty wide spread and it didn't take Harry long to make the connection between it and their _missing_ person. 'Now why would Professor Quirrell be in the Forbidden Corridor?' he asked Hermione and Steve, who were sitting near him.

'Enough!' McGonagall was visibly losing her temper by now. 'Everybody to their Common Rooms at once, or I will start deducting House Points by the dozen!'  
The Hall cleared out quickly at that, with the older students who did not opt to help search leading the younger ones back to their respective Common Rooms.

By the time dinner was normally served the older students who had opted to help in the search returned, but the ones in Ravenclaw at least were tight-lipped and would not speak. The House-Elfs brought dinner to their Common Room, as they found out the Riddle Door would not open from the inside. Harry and his classmates did their homework and extra credit essays, then wasted the rest of the midday and evening by playing games, until they annoyed the older students enough that they were forced to just go on reading in silence.

–-

The of-age students had been sent to search the rest of the school in pairs, while a group of teachers led by McGonagall entered the locked corridor. Fluffy was indeed wounded as Hagrid had mentioned, it appeared someone had cast a blinding charm on its eyes, and made the dog deaf. Hagrid was cradling the middle head and cooing to the monster, and it was obvious he would be of little use further, so the teachers opened the trap door. McGonagall had a look of determination on her face. Flitwick looked pensive, and Professors Sprout and Vector had relatively neutral expressions. Severus Snape had his usual sneer.

Professor Sprout threw down a handful of powder before they floated down, and landed on the calm Devil's Snare. 'A touch of Angelhair Dust, calms down the plant for a good hour,' Pomona clarified, as she frowned at obvious fire damage to a part of the plant.

The next room was filled with flying keys, but before anyone could go for one of the brooms Professor Flitwick put two of his fingers in his mouth and let out a shrill whistle. The keys froze in place, and one old and battered looking one fluttered down into his hand. 'Little backdoor, so to speak,' he said, inspecting the key, 'yes, he used it. See the bent wing?'

They passed through the door, and found an enormous chess set. 'Game Over!' shouted Professor McGonagall before anyone set a foot on the board, and the animated chess pieces just let them pass. McGonagall frowned at the obvious damage on some of the pieces, even with the automated repair charms it was obvious someone had won the chess game.

They hesitated before opening the door to the next room as it was supposed to hold a troll... and found it empty instead. 'Well, I guess we know where that troll really came from on Samhain,' dead-panned Professor Snape. He had never believed the ludicrous story that Black was behind it, but it served the purpose of getting the hell-spawn out of his school, so he had not voiced his concerns.

'Indeed Severus, most troubling,' muttered McGonagall. 'I believe next room is yours?'

Snape snorted, 'Albus' idea. As if magical fire would stop a real wizard.' He cast the flame freezing charm on himself, and stepped through the fire. 'Well?' he smirked, standing on the other side, but not opening the door yet. The other teachers followed, Professor Flitwick looking a tad annoyed. He had been looking forward to solving Snape's riddle: the man may have little to no interpersonal skills, but he was one of the smartest wizards he knew.

As one, the Hogwarts teachers entered the final room, and at the sight in front of them, Professor Vector rushed to the side and threw up. In the centre of the room was a pedestal that was supposed to hold the Philosopher's Stone, or so Dumbledore had told McGonagall at the start of the year, but the stone was missing, and lying in front of it was the dead body of their colleague Quirinus Quirrell, with the back of his skull completely missing.

* * *

A/N: Sorry it's a bit late, I am still without a buffer. Work on the next chapter(s) is going well though :)


	22. Fallout, Part One

**Chapter Twenty-Two**  
**Fallout, Part 1**

Amelia Bones was not happy when Moody finished his story about how Albus Dumbledore had effectively tricked Sirius Black into getting caught.  
'Right Alastor... it is only out of respect for your years of service, and the fact you were my mentor when I was a fresh young Auror, that I don't permanently take this,' she commented in a gruff voice while handling Moody's Auror badge.  
'You are hereby reassigned to the Auror Academy starting next month. I know how much you love teaching,' a smirk rose on her face as Moody grimaced, 'so that will be your punishment. From what you told me, Kingsley Shacklebolt did most of Dumbledore's dirty work?'  
Moody nodded, and Amelia took out a piece of parchment. 'This is an arrest warrant for Shacklebolt. Assemble a team and take him, if he confesses and cooperates he'll just go down a rank... if not we'll have to take other measures.'

'What about the others Amelia?'

'The rest of this vigilante group, what was it, the Phoenix Order?'

'Order of the Phoenix, yes. There's good men and women in there Amy. Just because Dumbledore has gone crazy it does not mean we're – I mean they're –' he quickly amended at her glare, 'they're not all bad. The Order did good work in the Grindlewald and Blood Wars.'

'That may be, but I won't have a vigilante group operating in my country. That Fletcher is going down as well, and we'll need to build a case against Dumbledore somehow. Fortunately Black did some groundwork for us with the campaign against him in both the ICW and the Wizengamot. And removing him from Hogwarts recently... I suppose that was the trigger.'

'Right, I'll go grab Shacklebolt then. Have you any thought about Black?'

Amelia sighed. 'Unfortunately he was positively tested as an animagus, so I have no choice but to let him be in Azkaban for three months. The law is resolute there... any wizard or witch aged seventeen or older who is found to be an animagus and has not registered their form within a month of the first transformation, will be sent to Azkaban for a term of no less than three months and be fined fifty galleons.'

'I don't like it. He's too vulnerable there, if Dumbledore tries something else. You've got to realise Amelia... until this, I was absolutely loyal to him. The man has been the leader of the Light since Grindlewald, and we're just not used to saying "no" to him.'

'Good point. Well, you take care of Shacklebolt... I'll arrange Black to be moved to the Light Security wing and have a permanent human guard, and see what we can do about bringing in that Fletcher.'

As Moody left Madam Bones' office, and ugly beetle flew out with him and hitched a ride to the atrium. It flew into a secluded corner, and out stepped ace reporter Rita Skeeter, a glint in her eyes. She had an entire newspaper to write, and she didn't even have to make up things this time!

–-

In Hogwarts, a pale-faced Professor McGonagall led her colleagues back out of the hidden corridor and they assembled in the room that until recently held Fluffy.  
'Not a word to anyone, I must discuss this with the Headmaster,' she said.

'Don't you mean the former Headmaster, Minerva?' Professor Flitwick looked thoughtful. 'We should call in the Aurors right now. Whatever Dumbledore was guarding down there – I believe you know what it was, right Minerva? – it appears to be gone now, and poor Quirinus paid the price.'

'But we must let Albus take a look first!' Minerva looked almost panicked.

'I agree with Filius,' was Pomona Sprout's opinion.

'No! I will not allow any Aurors to be here before Albus can inspect the room! I am the Headmistress here, and you will listen to me!' the Scotswoman clearly lost her temper.

'Mmm mmm,' Professor Flitwick looked pensive a moment. 'Pomona, Severus, I think we need to have a discussion for the good of the school. I fear our current acting Headmistress has lost sight of her primary responsibility.'

'You... you wouldn't,' Minerva McGonagall looked pained. 'Filius, I thought we were friends?'

'Minny, I will admit I have no idea what you and Albus are up to, but first the vendetta against Black and young Harold, and now you are trying to cover up the death of a colleague? I can't see any reason why I should just stand by while you endanger the school.'

Professor McGonagall looked down in his eyes, and saw he was serious. Professor Sprout had stepped closer to him, clearly taking his side. Snape was unreadable as usual, having one of those annoying smirks on his face. In contrast Professor Vector looked very much like she'd rather be anywhere else, shuffling on her feet.

'Very well. Filius, Pomona, Severus, will you join me in my office?' McGonagall straightened her robes, best to take this to a better locale. 'Septima, if you could track down the Head Boy and Head Girl and have all the students return to their Common Rooms? The school will remain on lockdown until further notice.'

Professor Vector agreed, as the others left for the Headmaster's office.

–-

Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the floo of his office and found the four Heads of House waiting for him. 'Ah Minerva, thank you for allowing me the use of your floo,' he smiled at his assistant. 'I believe you had something to report. Ah Filius, Pomona, Severus my boy... everyone here?'

'Albus, they insisted,' Professor McGonagall clearly looked unhappy. 'The trap was sprung tonight, and – it was Quirinus Albus!'

Dumbledore looked pensive, then sat down in the Headmaster's chair, which Minerva had vacated the moment he flood in. 'I see, I see. Was it still there?'

'Not a speck of dust Albus. What does it mean, is he back?'

'Sorry to interrupt you two,' Flitwick's voice, laced with sarcasm interrupted them. 'Can we get some clear language for once? Albus, Pomona and I allowed Minerva to call you here as she insisted that you have the answers. I wish to know what we were guarding, why poor Quirinus is dead, and why we can't just call the Aurors. This is still a school!'

'Ah Filius my friend, surely you can allow an old man some time to consider the facts?' Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he looked at the diminutive teacher, but Professor Flitwick averted his eyes.

'Albus, I don't much like the idea of you using Legilimancy on me,' he grumbled. 'Have you forgotten that Goblins, even only part Goblins, can't be read?'

'I do apologize, it comes naturally,' Dumbledore smiled. 'Very well then... as Minerva and Severus already know, the corridor was a trap. I knew someone was after good Nicholas' stone –'

'Nicholas Flamel, as in the Philosopher's Stone?' interrupted Professor Sprout.

'The same. Since he is rather getting on in age,' Dumbledore's lips twitched in a small smile at this, almost a millennium old was indeed some time, 'and since we know the Goblin bank is not as secure as they'd like us to think, I offered to place a decoy at Hogwarts.  
'Rather than using the real Philosopher's Stone I created a fake stone with special properties, in the hope that when the thief attempted to steal it, they would be caught by it. However, based on what you told me, this did not work out exactly as planned.  
'Does that answer your questions Filius, Pomona?'

'No Albus, it does not.' Flitwick looked annoyed. 'Why on earth would you endanger the students by using a school as bait? And what happened to Quirinus – I take it he was the thief?'

'I assure you Filius, the students were never in danger. Everything was under control, until I was forced out by dark forces. And yes, Quirinus was my main suspect all along.'

'Dark forces? Albus, you must let go of your vendetta against Sirius Black and young Harold. I will not stand for your persecution of an innocent student!' Flitwick stood up, so he could look the seated Dumbledore in the eye. 'And if you suspected Quirinus all along, why not confront him earlier?'

'Mmm. I needed to be sure, Filius. Now, who will accompany me to the corridor? I wish to inspect the Stone room for myself to see what happened to it.'

'And to Quirinus,' Flitwick added.

'Of course.' Dumbledore rose, and accompanied by Professor McGonagall, left the Headmaster's office.

'I don't like this one bit Pomona, Severus,' Flitwick said to his colleagues after the duo had left. 'Can either of you give me any valid reason not to call the Aurors now?'

'If you don't do it, I'll do it myself,' was Sprout's answer.

'I do not wish to be involved in this. The decision will be on your hands,' Snape cut to him, and stood up. 'I wish to check on my Slytherin students before I retire. I suggest you finish whatever business you believe you have here, and do the same. Good night.'  
The sallow-skinned Potions Master left the room, leaving Flitwick and Sprout looking at each other briefly, before Flitwick knelt at the floo fire.

–-

Rita Skeeter was dictating the articles of her career to her self-inking quill, there was no need to embellish or distort the story here, she had explosive material on Dumbledore!  
After some internal debate, she removed all references to Alastor Moody from the story, not because he "did the right thing", but because she could perhaps use this information for other purposes later.  
She had already floo-called her editor and arranged for the first four pages of tomorrow's Daily Prophet to be cleared, so the pressure was immense on her to finish the article and get it to the printers before the next morning's Prophet print run would start.

After finishing several articles on the Secretly Dark Lord Dumbledore, the Corruption in the Auror Corps, and the Persecution of Sirius Black, as well as an editorial on how the animagus laws should be repealed as they were inherently unjust – covering herself there just in case her own secret might be revealed – she rushed over to the Prophet's office, and delivered her stacks of paper just in time for the paper to be set.  
Rita then rushed back home, and took a well earned rest. Tomorrow she would continue work on her book, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. She had been investigating his ties with Grindlewald and there was enough material there to permanently damage his career... even if the new articles by themselves would not be enough.

* * *

A/N: Short and late chapter, argh. This was fighting me tooth and nail to get written as it is. I thought you might appreciate a shorter chapter rather than having to wait even longer. That said, I have hopes the next chapter will be easier to complete.


	23. Fallout, Part Two

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**Fallout, Part 2**

At the same time Dumbledore was leading his cronies to the Third Floor corridor, and Rita Skeeter was working on the articles, the Auror Department of the Ministry was in an uproar.

'All right people this is not a drill!' Amelia Bones' voice sounded throughout the Auror headquarters.

'I need a team ready to go to Hogwarts ASAP. We have reports of a dead teacher, and possible involvement of Suspect D.'

A full squad of ten Aurors assembled near the DMLE floo, and Bones came to join them, looking a mixture of tired and annoyed.

'What's the situation ma'am?' asked Dawlish, the top ranking Auror currently there.

'Hogwarts Professor Flitwick floo-called dispatch not ten minutes ago. The DADA teacher was killed somehow, and apparently Dumbledore was called in by McGonagall to cover it up.'

'We're flooing directly to Professor Flitwick's office, and from there we're taking control of the school. This is to be treated as a murder case, and Dumbledore is a suspect. We're bringing him in on those charges. Anyone cooperating with him against us is to be arrested as well.'

'What about the students?' Auror Proudfoot asked. He had a niece and nephew in Hufflepuff.

'The school is on lockdown, so we should not encounter any. But to be safe, we're sticking to stunners only. No cutting or blasting spells unless the opponent uses those first, understood?'

A grim-faced team accepted, and Bones was the first to step through the floo to Hogwarts.

–-

Dumbledore and McGonagall stepped in Fluffy's room and passed through the corridor. Dumbledore seemed unconcerned at the damage done to the protections, McGonagall thought. After a few minutes they arrived in the central chamber, with the empty pedestal and a dead Quirrell.

'Excellent, it worked nearly as planned,' Dumbledore said.

'What do you mean Albus? Quirinus is dead... and the Stone is missing?'

'Minerva, you didn't actually believe it was the real Philosopher's Stone did you? No, my old mentor Flamel refused to hand it over to me despite my insistence. But I still needed something to lure Voldemort here, so I created a trapped decoy.'

'Vol– Albus, you cannae be serious!' Minerva looked shocked. 'D'ye mean ta tell me ye turned the school into BAIT for the Dark Lord?'

'Mmm mmm,' Dumbledore nodded, waving his wand about. 'It seems he was more powerful than I expected. The Soul Trap was supposed to contain him, but apparently his magic was strong enough to destroy it instead. Well, there will be other opportunities.'

'I think we'd better remove the remains of Quirinus now, and clean up the rest of the corridor. It won't do for people to ask questions now would it?'

He was answered not by an angry McGonagall, but by the voice of Amelia Bones.

'I think we heard enough. Albus Dumbledore, surrender your wand. You are under arrest for the murder of Quirinus Quirrell.'

Dumbledore turned on the spot, a snarl briefly visible on his face before the genial smile he usually carried replaced it. 'Madam Bones, I was not aware you were let into my school. How may I help you?'

'Your school Dumbledore? Last I heard you were suspended by the Board of Governors. Now will you surrender your wand to Auror Fleetwind, and come quietly?'

'I think you're making a mistake Amelia,' the former Headmaster said in a soothing tone. 'Why don't we go to my... erm the Headmaster's Office and have a chat there?'

'Are you resisting arrest Albus?' Amelia raised her wand and had it pointed directly at him, as did the other Aurors.

'Of course not, I was just trying to smooth things while you do what you think you need to do,' Dumbledore said. Inside he was fuming with anger, but he tried to keep a neutral face.

'Very well, I will accompany you. My wand, Ludwig.'

He handed over his seldom-used original wand to the Auror, who felt flattered that Dumbledore remembered his first name, not realising Dumbledore had simply picked that information from his own mind with passive legilimancy.

Dumbledore surreptitiously hid the Elder Wand in his cloaked wand holster, and allowed Aurors Fleetwind and Proudfoot to grab him by the shoulders.

'Proudfoot, take four others with you and get him into a holding cell at the Ministry. I'll be along shortly,' Amelia Bones ordered.

'Now Headmistress McGonagall, I need your assistance. This school is closed as of right now until our investigation is finished. I suggest you contact the Board of Governors, the various students' parents, and do whatever else you need to do to clear the castle.'

'But... but... that is unprecedented!' McGonagall blustered, looking to Dumbledore for support, but he was being lead out the door already.

'Come on Minerva,' Bones said with a sigh. 'You and I both know it was done before, during the Chamber of Secrets debacle of 1943.'

'Yes.. quite,' McGonagall didn't look convinced.

'Auror Dawlish, accompany the Headmistress to her office please. As for the rest of you lot, standard crime scene investigation. I will be at HQ dealing with Fudge, contact Dawlish if you need any assitance.'

–-

The following morning the students of Hogwarts found their doors opened again, and the student body assembled in the Great Hall. There they found to their surprise not only their teachers, but a number of unknown wizards clad in red robes.

'Who are they Harry?' asked Hermione of her friend.

'Those look like Auror uniforms,' he answered her. 'The Magical police and military force,' he added as an explanation.

Any further discussion was preempted by their Headmistress clearing her throat.

'Everyone? I am sad to announce Hogwarts will be closed starting immediately. Your parents will have been contacted, and will collect you from the Hogwarts Express. Finish your breakfast, and then start packing: the train leaves at eleven.'

'But what about our education!' 'The OWLs!' 'Why?' 'What happened?' 'When my father hears about this!'

The cacophony of shouted protests and questions overwhelmed the room, until Professor McGonagall shot a blast from her wand that silenced everyone.

'No questions! Your parents will be informed of the reasons why, rest assured this will not impact your education. Should the closure of Hogwarts take too long, an alternative will be created. But I have high hopes I will meet you all back here before that becomes necessary.'

'Sweet, an extra holiday!' shouted the voice of Ron Weasley from the Gryffindor table, causing some laughter at mainly the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. The Slytherins looked contemplative, most Ravenclaws were either annoyed, or worried about the break in their education.

'Do you suppose it has to do with Professor Quirrell's disappearance?' he asked Hermione, as they were trying to get some breakfast in.

'I suppose so,' his friend answered, 'this is all very irregular. I'll need to look it up, but I don't think I ever heard about Hogwarts closing down before.

'Hopefully it won't take too long. We _do_ have end of year exams coming up in just a few months, and you Harry still need to catch up from your expulsion.'

At that Harry suddenly felt worry shooting through him, 'Mione... I still haven't heard from dad. What if he isn't there for me?'

'Oh Harry, don't worry,' Hermione smiled at him. 'I am sure he'll be there. And otherwise you can stay with me for a while, I am sure daddy and mummy won't mind.'

Harry smiled a bit in reply, and thanked her.

–-

Just as they were finishing up breakfast, a barrage of owls swooped in the Great Hall, delivering the Daily Prophet, which had come out late for one of the first times in its centuries old publishing history.

When the students unfolded it to the front paper, the headlines made it clear why...

_**Dumbledore... Leader of the Light or Dark Lord?**_

_By Rita Skeeter._

_My dear friends, for decades we have trusted the word of Albus Dumbledore, who at the height of his career was the Headmaster of Hogwarts, the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, and the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot._

_All of these positions were granted to him after he single-handedly took down the Dark Lord Grindlewald at the conclusion of the Great European Wizarding War in 1945. Dumbledore is widely known as the Leader of the Light, and many of us follow his word without question._

_But are we perhaps being fooled? Through thorough investigation this reporter found that Grindlewald and Dumbledore have a history that goes back to their teenage days, when they were very close friends._

It went on to throw questions on whether or not Dumbledore was acting for the Greater Good at all, and if he was not perhaps a Dark Lord himself, ending with a teaser for an upcoming book by Skeeter.

Another article started, '_Corruption in the Auror Corps'_, and went into detail on how Auror Shacklebolt, on Dumbledore's orders, had subverted the law for his leader ("master", Rita wrote). And a third article, '_The Persecution of Sirius Black_', left Harry pale-faced with shock.

'Oh Harry!' Hermione threw her arms around him after she read the same article over his shoulder, crushing him in a hug.

'What... what will I do? If dad is in Azkaban...' Harry's voice trailed off as he let out a sob, holding on to his closest friend for comfort. The other Ravenclaws gave them a little distance out of respect. Even the ones that were not exactly friends, such as the snobby Cho Chang of second year, could not deny that the newspaper articles definitely were suspect, and Harry and his father seemed to be victims here.

Harry suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up from Hermione's embrace to find himself face-to-face with his head of House, Professor Flitwick.

'Mr Black, I am sorry you had to learn it this way,' he began. 'We had hoped you would not have to find out until your father had been released from prison.'

'It's not your fault sir,' Harry said in a small voice. 'What will I do though, if Hogwarts closes?'

'That's why I'm here Harry... if I may call you that?' Harry nodded, and Flitwick continued. 'The parents of one of your year mates have offered to take you in until an alternative comes up, such as Hogwarts reopening, or your father being freed. They will collect you from King's Cross and make sure you are well cared for.'

'Oh Hermione, I can stay with you!' Harry leant in, and kissed the surprised brunette, getting 'oohs' and 'aahs' from the watching Ravenclaw girls.

Hermione stiffened a moment, then gave herself into the pleasant feeling, and happily kissed Harry back.

'Harry, I am afraid you must have misunderstood,' Professor Flitwick said after allowing them to kiss for a minute, tapping Harry's shoulder to get his attention back.

A flushed Harry and Hermione looked around a bit sheepishly, then Harry paid attention to his teacher again.

'While I am sure Ms Granger's parents might have said yes, it was not they who came forward.'

'Who... who was it then?' Harry's heartbeat was rushing, and he held his friend... his girlfriend's hand for comfort.

'Mr and Mrs Malfoy. I believe you are familiar with them, as she is one of your tutors?'

'Ahh... yes sir,' Harry answered, a tad confused. Yes Narcissa Malfoy was fond of him, so he believed, but he always thought Lucius only tolerated him. And Draco and he were hardly friends.

'Well then, that's settled,' Professor Flitwick cheerfully said. 'Now I suggest you finish your breakfast and get packing, there'll be enough time for kissing on the Hogwarts Express.' Laughing slightly to himself at the blushing kids, he left them to breakfast.

–-

The train ride was uneventful. Harry and Hermione shared a compartment with Steve, Mandy, Terry and Su Li, and did kiss a few times between the games of Exploding Snap, the discussions about what they would do if Hogwarts would not re-open – none of them believed that would be the case, but it never hurt to be prepared – and doing their homework or independent study. After all, it was a given school would continue somehow.

Ron Weasley tried to pay them an unpleasant visit at one point, but he stopped from entering when an Auror went past the compartment just as he arrived at the door. For some reason four Aurors were on board the Express.

In the early evening, the Express arrived in London, and the kids disembarked the train. Harry helped Hermione get her trunk off the train and onto a cart, then with a final hug and a small kiss on the cheek, she rushed off to her parents who were waiting near the entrance, looking very out of place on the magical platform. Harry watched his friend go, then walked over to the Malfoys, who were waiting a little while off.

Draco was being fussed over a bit by his mother, but when she saw Harry approach, she got a smile.

'Harold, so good to see you are in good health,' she greeted him.

'Thank you Mrs Malfoy. I appreciate you taking me into your home,' Harry said with a small nod. Good manners were important, especially in public.

'It is the least we can do for my wife's cousin's son,' the silky smooth tones of Lucius Malfoy said. 'Do you have everything, Draco, Harold?'

The boys quickly inspected their trunks, and affirmed both had their owls, then Harry nodded and Draco said a 'yes father'.

Lucius Malfoy took his son's arm, and the Malfoy men whisked away, taking Draco's possessions with him. A moment later Narcissa Malfoy took Harry by the arm, and he too disappeared.

Narcissa and Harry landed gracefully in the entrace hall of Malfoy manor. Lucius snapped his fingers, and a House Elf Harry remembered, Dobby, appeared.

'Take the boys' trunks to Draco's room, and put the owls in the owlry. Then inform the cook to begin dinner,' Lucius ordered the Elf.

'Harold, you will be sharing the room with Draco for the time being. Our guest room is... occupied.'

'Yes sir,' Harry answered. Draco looked displeased, but didn't say a word.

'Do you have another guest then sir?' Harry wondered if it was someone he knew.

'Ah yes... come, boys, let us adjourn to the smoking room. My guest was most looking forward to meet you, Harold.'

Harry followed Lucius Malfoy into the other room. Seated near the fire was a man he judged to be around his forties, although with wizards of course this could mean he could be anything from forty to eighty years old. He had black hair and green eyes, and looked a bit like Harry actually, except that his features were hardened, as if he tended to sneer a lot. The man was wearing a set of fine wizarding clothes, obviously top quality.

'Harold Janus Black, may I introduce the Lord Slytherin, Tom Marvolo Riddle,' Lucius introduced them. 'Lord Slytherin, the Heir Black.'

'Welcome Harry... I have been looking forward to meeting you again,' the aristocrat said, standing up. 'We have much to discuss, you and I.'

* * *

A/N: Thank you for reading.


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